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The Herald - National Edition*
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Page:
9
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Page 1 of 1
HEALTH
Sick children need care,
notU6s - charhyboss
Fiona Dillon
PLANSto give free GP care to
healthy under-sixes ahead of
kids with life-limiting conditions
make no sense, the head
of a charity has claimed.
Jonathan Irwin, the CEO
and founder of the Jack & Jill
Children’sFoundation, said that
the concerns expressed by the
National Association of General
Practitioners (NAGP) in Dublin
regarding free GP care for
under-sixes are totally justified.
Jack & Jill
founder
Jonathan
Irwin has hit
out at plans for I
free medical
care for the
under-sixes
....
^
AUTOMATIC
“Giving this population an ahead of their healthy siblings,” example of this Government
putting the election cart before
automatic entitlement, while he added.
Mr Irwin, who is a prominentthe horse,” Mr Irwin said.
their brothers and sisters in the
The charity is calling on
member of the Renua
same age group, children with
life-limiting and life-threatening party, said that it just doesn’t Health Minister Leo Varadkar
to prioritise children with
conditions, are subjected to make sense for the Government
a means test via their parents to be introducing free GP care additional needs and to get
is just not right, and doesn’t for the under-sixes when the their requirements fulfilled.
sit well with the Jack & Jill children who are most vulnerable He said that ideally both
in this cohort are not getting these children and under-sixes
Children’s Foundation,” Mr
the full and automatic supportwould get the free care.
Irwin said.
“But needs must and this
they require, and parents
“Children with additional
Government must first focus on
needs, some with life-limiting are still being put through
card the children who really do need
and life-threatening conditions, hoops on medical
the support,” he said.
should be first in the queue for entitlement.
the medical and early intervention“The fact that we are having
Read Pricilla Lynch, p14
support they require this debate at this time is a real
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