The Primary Care Minister Kathleen Lynch says she is confident over 90 percent of GPs will sign up to give free care to children under the age of 6, after the number of registrations 'skyrocketed'.
However out of a possible 51 GPs in South Tipperary just 7 have agreed to the scheme – these are made up of 5 different doctors with some operating two offices.
26 North Tipperary GPs have registered.
The minister also says the number of parents registering their children for the scheme is 'phenomenal' – with her staff saying registrations are clocking in at 10 every minute.
Ms Lynch says she accepts that not every doctor will sign up and that some areas will have less coverage than others.
But she says a mass boycott by GPs is not on the cards.
“The numbers have skyrocketed as well – for instance in my own area in Cork, which had a very low uptake when we were talking, is now up to the 70 percent” she said.
“And I am convinced that not every GP in the country by the way, and I have maintained that, will sign up because there are some GPs that's not what they do – they don't see it as part of their core service”.
“But the majority of GPs – and I would say up to over 90 percent of GPs – will sign up” she added.
