Nearly two out of three people are in favour of the whole population having access to free GP care, according to our latest readers' poll.

The current Government has pledged to roll-out free GP care at the point of access to the entire population by 2015 - however, the free GP care plan has been delayed considerably.

We asked out readers whether they thought everyone should be granted free GP care, regardless of income.

Sixty per cent said yes, 35 per cent said no while 5% were unsure.

The Government had planned to roll-out free GP visits to the entire population  on a phased basis, starting with those with long-term illnesses.

However, it said this had become bogged down in legal difficulties over changing the basis on which free GP care is currently delivered from one of income levels to other criteria.

Junior Health Minister Alex White recently said the Government was still firmly committed to delivering free care for the whole population.

Minister White said it had become clear that the administrative framework required to provide a robust eligibility system based solely on a person's medical condition 'is likely to be overly complex and bureaucratic.'

The Minister said he had been authorised to prepare a number of alternative options for the phased implementation of a universal GP service.

He is due to provide an options paper for Government before the Dail summer recess, 'so that a clear route can be set for delivery of this key Government commitment'.