The head of the GP group in the IMO had warned that it could take 10 years for universal healthcare to be fully introduced in Ireland.

And Dr Ray Walley says GPs will have to be compensated for any loss of private practice earnings if GP care is to become free at the point of access.

Interviewed by irishhealth.com about what GPs want from the forthcoming negotiations on the extension of 'free' GP care, Dr Walley said it could also take more than five years for a universal primary care service, incorporating not just free GP visits but access to ancillary services such as physiotherapy, to be introduced.

Helath Minister Leo Varadkar has already said universal health insurance, under which the entire population would have 'free' and equal access to hospital, GP and other health services, is unlikely to be introduced by the previously set target date of 2019.

He intends, however to introduce free GP care for all children and over 70s by 2016, and has indicated that free care for the under sixes and over 70s could be introduced next year. Talks with GPs on the extension of eligibility for free care are expected to begin next month.

However, Dr Walley said given the level of planning and resourcing needed to extend eligibility for GP and other  services to the entire population, the Government's grand plan could all take much longer than that.

"I think it may take 10 years for universal healthcare to be fully implemented. Universal GP care, whereby financial barriers to see the GP would be removed, could perhaps be introduced more quickly, but universal primary care, incorporating community services other than general practice, for example physiotherapy etc, could take 5-10 years to introduce properly. All of this needs appropriate resourcing."

Dr Walley said the level of State spending on general practice in Ireland needs to be upped considerably, to around 10% of the health budget, which is the current level in the Netherlands and the UK.

He also says logic would dictate that in any new agreement, GPs would have to be compensated for any loss of private practice earnings and for higher patient visitation rates under a new system.

Dr Walley also warned that while the Irish GP system has traditionally been a 'same day' patient visit service, waiting lists to see your GP were becoming more common. He warned too that waiting lsits would continue under a 'free' GP care system if it was not properly resourced by the State.

Read the full interview here