Before you start

PPS number
Proof of address
Ordinarily resident status for public entitlements

Step-by-step

1
Register with a GP practice
Choose a practice near home and ask whether they are accepting new patients — many are not. Expect to pay per consultation unless you hold a medical card or GP visit card.
In personWho: YouCommonly EUR 55–75 per visit
2
Check whether you qualify for a medical card
Medical cards give free GP care and prescriptions but are means-tested against fairly low income limits. A GP visit card covers consultations only and has a higher threshold.
OnlineWho: You
3
Take out private health insurance
Irish insurers operate community rating — everyone the same age pays the same price regardless of health. Employers often provide cover; check what your package includes before buying your own.
OnlineWho: YouCommonly EUR 90–180 per month for a single adult
4
Note the lifetime community rating loading
If you first take out Irish private health insurance after age 35, a permanent age-related loading is added for each year over 34. New residents get a limited window after arrival to buy in without it.
OnlineWho: You
5
Learn where the hospitals are before you need them
Cork University Hospital is the region's major emergency and trauma centre, with the Mercy University Hospital in the city and private capacity at the Bon Secours. Emergency departments charge a fee without a referral or a medical card.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

PPS number
Proof of address
Photo ID
Evidence of income, for a medical card application

Things most newcomers don’t know

Buy private cover before you turn 35, or before your new-resident window closes.

Lifetime community rating adds a permanent loading for every year you are over 34 when you first take out Irish cover. New residents get a defined window after arrival to buy in at the standard rate — miss it and the loading follows you for the rest of your life in Ireland.

Source: Health Insurance Authority — Lifetime Community Rating

GP visits are not free, which surprises almost every European arrival.

Ireland is unusual in Western Europe here. Budget the per-visit cost or make sure the insurance policy you choose includes GP cover, which not all of them do.

Source: Citizens Information — Health

Cork is its own health region now, and that is a real change.

The HSE reorganised into six health regions in 2024, each with its own budget, leadership team and regional executive officer. Cork and Kerry form HSE South West. Waiting lists, service planning and pathways are managed regionally rather than nationally, so Dublin waiting-time figures are no longer a guide to yours.

Source: HSE — health regions

Community rating means shopping around genuinely works.

Insurers cannot price on your health, so switching is low-friction and the same level of cover varies meaningfully in price between providers. Comparing annually is worth real money in a way it is not in risk-rated markets.

Source: Health Insurance Authority

Common mistakes to avoid

Missing the new-resident window for private cover and carrying a permanent age loading.
Assuming GP visits are free at the point of use.
Waiting until you are sick to find a practice with an open list.
Reading Dublin waiting-list figures as though they describe Cork — the regions plan separately now.
Going to an emergency department without a referral and being charged.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.