A GP is warning that people will die directly or indirectly as a result of cuts within the health sector. Dr. Aifric Boylan practices in Johnstownbridge in Co. Meath.

She says GPs are at breaking point and are stretched in terms of services they are being asked to provide. She is also warning that doctors will not be able to afford to provide free GP care to under 5-year-olds.

Dr. Boylan says it makes no sense to take a medical card from a sick child and give it to a healthy child.

She is also warning patients could die either directly or indirectly as a result of further cuts or pressures placed on GP services.

Dr. Boylan told Breakfast here on Newstalk that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult for general practitioners.

Meanwhile the Tanaiste has ruled out any reversal on the medical card cuts. The government has lowered the threshold for medical cards for over-70s and has ordered a review of the scheme.

Pensioners will protest outside Leinster House today over the budgetary decision. But Eamon Gilmore says there will be no u-turn.

"No - the budget has been agreed by government, it stands - and the what we're now focused on is getting out of the bailout; that is the big national objective that we have to achieve" he said.

"I think there were many people at the beginning of the lifetime of this government who doubted if we would be able to do that".

"We intend to do that before the end of the year, get back our country's economic sovereignty" he added.