evidence: New research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found that extending free GP care to the whole population in 2026 would cost the State between €381m and €881m. [...] The chairperson of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP Sub-Committee said he would be concerned that the introduction of free GP care in an "unplanned way" would lead to GPs "not being able to handle the stress" associated with it. [...] The Medical Director of the Irish College of General Practitioners said free GP care for all is "simply unachievable without a very substantial expansion of the GP numbers".