Health in Ireland : Key Trends - Primary Care and Community Service
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 26 January 2026
- Last updated on: 17 May 2026
Primary care
Figure 4.1 : Percentage of population with a medical card by age group, 2020 and 2024
Source:
Primary Care Reimbursement Service, CSO (for population data).
Note:
(i) Data as at 31 December each year.
Table 4.1 : Primary Care Reimbursement Service schemes, 2015–2024
| Scheme | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | % change 2015-2024 | % change 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical card | |||||||||||||
| Number | 1,734,853 | 1,683,792 | 1,581,526 | 1,574,507 | 1,549,432 | 1,584,790 | 1,545,222 | 1,565,202 | 1,611,187 | 1,566,547 | -9.7 | -2.8 | |
| % of population | 37 | 35.5 | 32.9 | 32.2 | 31.2 | 31.5 | 30.4 | 30.2 | 30.5 | 29.1 | -21.3 | -4.6 | |
| of which 0-15 years | 390,730 | 371,819 | 340,167 | 335,958 | 329,683 | 330,416 | 315,128 | 317,109 | 323,060 | 306,929 | -21.4 | -5 | |
| % of 0-15 years | 36.8 | 34.9 | 31.7 | 31.1 | 30.5 | 30.6 | 29.3 | 29.2 | 29.7 | 28.2 | -23.2 | -5 | |
| GP Visit card | |||||||||||||
| Number | 431,306 | 470,505 | 486,920 | 503,650 | 524,298 | 529,842 | 530,378 | 579,982 | 630,475 | 715,737 | 65.9 | 13.5 | |
| % of population | 9.2 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 10.3 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 13.3 | 44.6 | 11.4 | |
| Drugs Payment Scheme | 1,301,905 | 1,272,724 | 1,259,410 | 1,290,634 | 1,362,639 | 1,429,554 | 1,504,614 | 1,654,375 | 1,813,437 | 292,306 | -77.5 | -83.9 | |
| Number | 27.8 | 26.9 | 26.2 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 28.4 | 29.6 | 31.9 | 34.3 | 5.4 | -80.4 | -84.2 | |
| % of population | 431,306 | 470,505 | 486,920 | 503,650 | 524,298 | 529,842 | 530,378 | 579,982 | 630,475 | 715,737 | 65.9 | 13.5 | |
| Long Term Illness Scheme | |||||||||||||
| Number | 225,631 | 245,964 | 263,336 | 281,075 | 295,033 | 306,978 | 318,967 | 332,967 | 345,019 | 194,172 | -13.9 | -43.7 | |
| % of population | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 6 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 3.6 | -25 | -44.8 | |
| Dental | |||||||||||||
| Number of treatments | 1,250,925 | 1,215,042 | 1,194,730 | 1,113,774 | 1,048,321 | 789,940 | 760,669 | 815,931 | 970,716 | 1,043,516 | -16.6 | 7.5 | |
| Number of people treated | 420,459 | 416,662 | 413,133 | 389,791 | 374,408 | 282,796 | 264,591 | 256,949 | 283,658 | 301,133 | -28.4 | 6.2 | |
| Ophthalmic | |||||||||||||
| Number of treatments | 756,036 | 767,280 | 770,741 | 691,965 | 776,032 | 594,492 | 660,334 | 684,191 | 701,628 | 696,471 | -7.9 | -0.7 | |
| Number of people treated | 315,040 | 318,021 | 318,570 | 287,305 | 304,515 | 241,128 | 268,979 | 277,445 | 287,513 | 286,076 | -9.2 | -0.5 |
Source:
Primary Care Reimbursement Service, CSO (for population data).
Note:
(i) Data as at 31 December each year.
Figure 4.2 : Prescription items dispensed under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme : Average cost per item and no. of items dispensed, 2015–2024
Source:
Primary Care Reimbursement Service, HSE.
Notes:
(i) Data on cost per item includes dispensing fee, ingredient cost and VAT.
(ii) Number of prescription items excludes stock-order items.
Figure 4.3 : Average number of GP visits in 12 months by age group, 2023–2025
Source:
Healthy Ireland Survey.
Private Health Insurance
Figure 4.4 : Percentage of population covered by private health insurance in Ireland by age group, 2020, 2022 and 2024
Source:
Health Insurance Authority.
Note:
(i) Data excludes insurance offered by insurers with restricted membership undertakings.
Nursing homes
Table 4.2 : Long-stay care summary statistics, 2020–2024
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | % change 2020-2024 | % change 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of beds | 32,104 | 31,842 | 31,674 | 32,155 | 32,169 | 0.2 | 0 |
| Number of patients resident | 22,831 | 22,403 | 22,533 | 23,579 | 24,370 | 6.7 | 3.4 |
| Average age of resident | 82.9 | 82.9 | 83.1 | 83.2 | 83.2 | 0.4 | 0 |
| Age distribution | |||||||
| Under 65 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.2 | -11.9 | -1.9 |
| 65-69 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | -2.3 | 2.4 |
| 70-74 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8 | 7.8 | 7.8 | -7.1 | 0 |
| 75-79 | 13.1 | 13.8 | 14.1 | 14 | 14 | 6.9 | 0 |
| 80-84 | 19.6 | 19.1 | 19.7 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 3.6 | 0.5 |
| 85+ | 48.7 | 48.7 | 48.5 | 48.6 | 48.5 | -0.4 | -0.2 |
Source:
HIQA (Number of beds), Nursing Homes Support Scheme, HSE.
Notes:
(i) The ‘number of beds’ refers to beds registered with HIQA in designated centres for providing residential care for older people and also includes beds used for short term care.
(ii) The ‘number of patients resident’ is reported by the Nursing Home Support scheme (NHSS) and is administrative data that captures all residents covered by the NHSS. Residents in long-stay units who are not covered by the scheme are not included here.
(iii) Age distribution data is based on those resident in December of the year in question.
Blood donations
Figure 4.5 : Blood donations in Ireland, 2015–2024
Source:
Irish Blood Transfusion Service, CSO for population data.
Immunisation
Table 4.3 : Percentage uptake of vaccines at 24-months, 2015-2024
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | % change 2015-2024 | % change 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 95.6 | 94.9 | 95.1 | 94.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.9 | -3.9 | -0.7 |
| Tetanus | 95.6 | 94.9 | 95.1 | 94.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.9 | -3.9 | -0.7 |
| Pertussis | 95.6 | 94.9 | 95.1 | 94.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.9 | -3.9 | -0.7 |
| Haemophilus Influenzae Type B | 95.6 | 94.8 | 95.1 | 94.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.9 | -3.9 | -0.7 |
| Polio | 95.6 | 94.9 | 95.1 | 94.2 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.9 | -3.9 | -0.7 |
| Meningococcal (group C) | 89.2 | 87.4 | 87.8 | 90.1 | 86.2 | 86.6 | 86.4 | 82.2 | 81.3 | 84.2 | -5.6 | 3.5 |
| Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) | 93.2 | 92.2 | 92.3 | 92.4 | 92.2 | 92.1 | 90.9 | 89.7 | 89.6 | 89.9 | -3.6 | 0.3 |
| Hepatitis B | 95.6 | 94.7 | 95.0 | 94.1 | 94.3 | 94.6 | 93.5 | 93.3 | 92.6 | 91.8 | -4 | -0.8 |
| Pneumococcal Conjugate | 92.5 | 91.2 | 90.7 | 87.7 | 87.3 | 87.4 | 86.8 | 83.8 | 83.6 | 84.4 | -8.8 | 1 |
| Human Papillomavirus | 89.9 | 83.3 | 58.8 | 67.2 | 75.7 | 82.7 | 79.8 | 78.4 | 78.4 | 74.9 | -16.7 | -5 |
Source:
Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), HSE.
Note:
(i) Data for MMR and HPV refer to all children who have received a single dose of the vaccine before their second birthday. Data for Meningococcal C refers to those who have received two doses of the vaccines before then. Otherwise, the data refers to all children who have received three doses of the vaccine before their second birthday.
Drug treatment
Table 4.4 : Number of cases in treatment for problem drug and alcohol use and rate per 100,000 population aged 15–64 years, Ireland, 2015–2024
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | % change 2015-2024 | % change 2023-2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs including alcohol | |||||||||||||
| All cases in treatment | 16,933 | 16,325 | 15,742 | 17,093 | 17,608 | 15,127 | 17,136 | 18,009 | 19,945 | 21,312 | 25.9 | 6.9 | |
| Rate per 100,000 (15-64 year olds) | 550.5 | 525.9 | 500 | 535.2 | 543.2 | 459.8 | 516.2 | 531.5 | 575.8 | 602.6 | 9.5 | 4.6 | |
| New entries into treatment each year | 7,007 | 6,922 | 6,482 | 6,889 | 6,963 | 6,091 | 6,971 | 7,122 | 7,849 | 8,214 | 17.2 | 4.7 | |
| New entries into treatment each year | 227.8 | 223 | 205.9 | 215.7 | 214.8 | 185.1 | 210 | 210.2 | 226.6 | 232.2 | 1.9 | 2.5 | |
| Drugs excluding Alcohol | |||||||||||||
| All cases in treatment | 9,711 | 9,097 | 8,772 | 10,113 | 10,477 | 9,583 | 10,664 | 11,196 | 12,378 | 13,115 | 35.1 | 6 | |
| Rate per 100,000 (15-64 year olds) | 315.7 | 293 | 278.6 | 316.6 | 323.2 | 291.3 | 321.2 | 330.4 | 357.4 | 370.8 | 17.5 | 3.8 | |
| New entries into treatment each year | 3,651 | 3,446 | 3,168 | 3,859 | 3,853 | 3,716 | 4,130 | 4,112 | 4,485 | 4,641 | 27.1 | 3.5 | |
| New entries into treatment each year | 118.7 | 111 | 100.6 | 120.8 | 118.9 | 112.9 | 124.4 | 121.4 | 129.5 | 131.2 | 10.5 | 1.3 |
Source:
National Drug Treatment Reporting System, Health Research Board. CSO for population data.
Notes:
(i) Ongoing data validations and corrections to the NDTRS dataset may result in minor changes to previously reported figures.
(ii) 2020 data should be interpreted in the context of the impact of COVID-19 public restrictions on data collection and service provision.
Figure 4.6 : Rate per 100,000 population aged 15–64 of cases in treatment for problem drug and alcohol use, 2015–2024.
Source:
Table 4.4.