Almost 80 thousand children across the country aged aged 6 and 7 will be able to gain access to free GP visits from today.
Parents can register their kids for the visit cards on the HSE website.
While doctor visits will be completely free of charge, medicines will still have to be paid for.
Its the latest part of government plans to extend free care to a further half a million people.
Shaun Flanagan, the HSE's Assistant National Director of the PCRS, says means tested GP visit cards with a higher income threshold will also be available soon:
"From the 11th September, and then further from the 13th of November, the minister is going to increase the thresholds under which people can qualify via means tests for GP visit cards. So the means tested eligibility is for individuals aged 8 to 69. And individuals under-8 on rate from today, Friday the 11th of August will have automatic eligibility for a GP visit card, once they register on our systems"
