Minister for Health slammed following plan to extend free GP care to all children

Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, has been slammed by Fianna Fáil after he pledged to extend free GP care to all children should the Government be re-elected.

Speaking ahead of the announcement at the MacGill Summer School in Co. Donegal, the minister asserted that the measure would first apply to under-12s before eventually covering all children.

The news has been met with scepticism by Fianna Fáil who slammed the announcement as nothing more than a gimmick which lacks both funding and a clear strategy.

Disputing their concerns, Mr. Varadkar insists the proposal is possible, with officials in Mr. Varadkar's department quick to highlight a number of recent successes in the area, including the launch of free GP care for children under the age of six.

It is understood that the proposed measure will be included as part of a new Programme for Government should Fine Gael return to Government after the next election.