Private GP costs in Ireland

How GP fees work in Ireland

Ireland has a mixed system. Some people get GP care free through the HSE, and everyone else pays the practice directly. There is no national price list for private patients. Each practice sets its own fees and should tell you what they are before you are seen.

As a rough guide, a standard private consultation commonly costs somewhere between about €50 and €90. Practices in Dublin and other cities often charge more than those in smaller towns. Longer appointments, procedures, and paperwork such as reports or forms usually cost extra.

Things that can be charged separately

• medical certificates and letters, especially for insurance, travel or legal purposes
• forms and reports, such as driving licence medicals or employment medicals
• blood tests, smear tests outside the national screening programme, and some procedures
• repeat prescriptions issued without an appointment, at some practices
• missed appointments, at some practices

If cost is a worry, ask the reception team what the visit will cost before you book. It is a normal question.

Who gets free GP care

Medical cards and GP visit cards cover visits to a GP who has a contract with the HSE, normally the practice you are registered with. They also cover the GP out-of-hours service. If you do not have either card, the out-of-hours service charges a fee. Check the HSE's GP visit card page for current eligibility.

What you pay for medicines

Your GP's fee does not include the cost of any medicine they prescribe. You pay for that at the pharmacy, and how much depends on which scheme you are in.

The medical card scheme covers medicines prescribed through your medical card GP. A prescription from a private GP or online service is usually a private prescription, so expect to pay the pharmacy's price; ask your pharmacist if you are unsure. If you take regular medicines and have no medical card, registering for the Drugs Payment Scheme is worth doing even if you do not expect to reach the cap every month. Read more in our guide to how prescriptions work in Ireland.

Pharmacist consultations

Since late 2025, pharmacists can assess and, where appropriate, prescribe for eight common conditions, including uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women aged 16 to 64, cold sores and shingles. This is called the Common Conditions Service. The pharmacist charges a fee for the consultation, including to medical card holders, and tells you the cost first. Any medicine prescribed may then be covered by your medical card or the Drugs Payment Scheme.

Getting money back

Tax relief on health expenses

Revenue gives tax relief at the standard rate of 20% on qualifying health expenses. These include doctors' and consultants' fees and medicines prescribed by a doctor. A few practical points:

• You claim through Revenue myAccount, or through ROS if you are self-assessed. The old Med 1 paper form is no longer used.
• You can claim for the last four years, but each year is a separate claim.
• You do not send receipts with your claim, but you must keep them for six years.
• You cannot claim for any amount your health insurer has refunded or will refund.
• You only benefit if you paid tax in that year.

The care must be provided or advised by a registered practitioner, such as a GP. See Revenue's health expenses guide for full details.

Health insurance

Many health insurance plans include outpatient cover that refunds part of each GP visit, usually up to a limit per visit or per year and sometimes after an excess. Keep your receipts and check your policy for how to claim. You can then claim tax relief on the part your insurer did not cover.

Online GP costs

Private online GP services set their own fees, in the same way as private practices. When comparing services, look at:

• the consultation fee, and whether video and phone cost the same
• whether a sick cert, letter or prescription is included or charged separately
• whether a follow-up conversation is included if you do not improve
• cancellation and refund terms

Medical cards and GP visit cards do not usually cover private online services. If you have one, your own GP is normally the free option. An online GP may still be useful for speed or convenience. Our guide to how online GP consultations work in Ireland explains when it makes sense.