GPs were paid over 589 million euro for treating medical card patients last year.

GPs were paid nearly over 589 million euro for treating medical card patients last year.

51 doctors received over 500,000 euro each.

Details released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal over 2,900 GPs across Ireland were paid a total of 589.2 million euro under the medical-card scheme last year.

This includes practice-support payments they received from the Health Service Executive.

Four Dublin-based GPs got more than 690,000 euro each.

Dr Austin O'Carroll, a Dublin city GP, got 974,000 euro, including practice support.

Over 190 GPs got more than 400,000 euro, and the average payment to a doctor was 200,000 euro.

Separately, dentists were paid 56 million euro in medical card payments last year, and pharmacies got nearly 400 million euro.