Health The Department of Health will receive an increase of billion in funding, giving it a total budget €1.05 of billion in 2019. The Budget features over to implement the Sláintecare €17 €200m Implementation Strategy. This is the Government’s plan for delivering a sustainable and equitable health and social care service over the next 10 years. Prescription charge If you have a medical card, you pay a charge for medicines and other items that you get on prescription from pharmacies. For people aged 70 and over, the prescription charge will be reduced from per item to per item in 2019. Prescription charges will be phased out for people in €2 €1.50 emergency accommodation. Drugs Payment Scheme Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, you currently pay a maximum of in a calendar month for €134 approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances in that month. The maximum amount you pay in 2019 will reduce from to per month. €134 €124 GP visit card A GP visit card allows you to visit a participating GP for free. Eligibility for the card is means tested, with different income limits depending on your age and circumstances. In 2019, the weekly income limits for the GP visit card will be increased by €25. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) The total available budget for the NTPF will be million in 2019, an increase of million on €75 €20 2018. This increase is intended to improve access to acute hospital services and reduce waiting times. Other health measures million is provided to support the introduction of the HPV screening test for cervical cancer and to €9 extend the HPV vaccination programme to boys. million is provided to develop public health services for termination of pregnancy. €12 100 new therapy posts will be recruited to address backlogs in Assessment of Need applications for children with disabilities and increase access to therapies for children. Environment Climate change and waste management The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment will invest over million in €164 2019 to help to achieve Ireland’s energy efficiency and renewable energy objectives, in line with the National Mitigation Plan. Measures include: Energy efficiency upgrades in residential, public and commercial building stock to reduce CO2 Promotion of renewable energy in the heat sector through the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat Incentives to use electric vehicles Energy research to promote diversification away from fossil fuels to green energy
Health The Department of Health will receive an increase of €1.05 billion in funding, giving it a total budget of €17 billion in 2019. The Budget features over €200m to implement the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy. This is the Government’s plan for delivering a sustainable and equitable health and social care service over the next 10 years. Prescription charge If you have a medical card, you pay a charge for medicines and other items that you get on prescription from pharmacies. For people aged 70 and over, the prescription charge will be reduced from €2 per item to €1.50 per item in 2019. Prescription charges will be phased out for people in emergency accommodation. Drugs Payment Scheme Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, you currently pay a maximum of €134 in a calendar month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances in that month. The maximum amount you pay in 2019 will reduce from €134 to €124 per month. GP visit card A GP visit card allows you to visit a participating GP for free. Eligibility for the card is means tested, with different income limits depending on your age and circumstances. In 2019, the weekly income limits for the GP visit card will be increased by €25. National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) The total available budget for the NTPF will be €75 million in 2019, an increase of €20 million on 2018. This increase is intended to improve access to acute hospital services and reduce waiting times. Other health measures €9 million is provided to support the introduction of the HPV screening test for cervical cancer and to extend the HPV vaccination programme to boys. €12 million is provided to develop public health services for termination of pregnancy. 100 new therapy posts will be recruited to address backlogs in Assessment of Need applications for children with disabilities and increase access to therapies for children. Environment Climate change and waste management The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment will invest over €164 million in 2019 to help to achieve Ireland’s energy efficiency and renewable energy objectives, in line with the National Mitigation Plan. Measures include: Energy efficiency upgrades in residential, public and commercial building stock to reduce CO2 Promotion of renewable energy in the heat sector through the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat Incentives to use electric vehicles Energy research to promote diversification away from fossil fuels to green energy