Junior Health Minister Alex White has indicated that some people may have to pay fees under the Government's plan for 'free' GP care for the whole population.

The Minister said it may be necessary to introduce a small fee in certain circumstances to ensure that people did not abuse the scheme by overvisiting their GP.

However, he said such fees would not apply to the first phase of the free GP care scheme, covering children under six, which us due to be introduced this year, the Irish Times has reported.

The doctors' union, the IMO, has threatened a court injunction against the introduction of the under sixes scheme if Health Minister James Reilly does not initiate meaningful negotiations on it.

Mr White's comments follow a reported row between Health Minister James Reilly and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin over the possible unsustainable costs to the exchequer of the planned universal health insurance (UHI) scheme, which is due to be introduced after 2016.

Mr Howlin's department has expressed concern over the costs of the scheme, but Department of Health sources have rejected the public expenditure department's estimates.