These answers describe what official sources say. They are not medical advice. If you are unsure, ask a pharmacist or a doctor. In an emergency, call 112 or 999.
Give me a sick cert for work: yes
An online GP can give you a medical certificate after reviewing your condition. Medical Council guidance says a doctor should only certify after that review, puts its registration number on the cert, and holds a remote consultation to the same standard as one in person.
For Statutory Sick Pay, the Sick Leave Act 2022 asks for a cert signed by a registered medical practitioner. It does not say the doctor has to see you in person. No official source we found says whether every employer must accept a cert from an online service, so check your employer's sick leave policy.
For Illness Benefit, the Department of Social Protection accepts certificates from online doctors for the first 6 weeks of an illness. The cert must be on headed paper and show the doctor's name, Medical Council registration number and the dates you are unfit for work.
Renew my repeat prescription: usually
Most online GPs will renew a regular medicine after checking what you take and why. Have your current prescription or the medicine box to hand. The prescription is sent to the pharmacy you choose.
Since March 2024 a prescription can be valid for up to 12 months, and a pharmacist can extend a 6-month prescription to 12 months in total. After 12 months you need to see a doctor again.
Some medicines cannot be renewed this way: see controlled drugs below.
Treat a UTI, cold sores or thrush: pharmacy first
Since 19 January 2026 most community pharmacies run the HSE Common Conditions Service. A pharmacist can assess and, if suitable, prescribe for eight conditions: cystitis (uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women aged 16 to 64), vaginal thrush (16 to 60), cold sores, oral thrush, conjunctivitis, impetigo, shingles (18 and over) and allergic rhinitis.
Pharmacies charge a consultation fee, including to medical card holders, and set the amount themselves. Medicines prescribed can go on your medical card or the Drugs Payment Scheme.
If the pharmacist can't help, for example because it keeps coming back or you are outside the age range, an online GP or your own GP is the next step.
See my child: some do
Some online GPs see children, often only with a parent or guardian booking and present; others don't say. Each provider on our board shows what its own site states.
Every child under 8 living in Ireland can get a GP visit card. It covers free visits to your own GP and urgent care from the GP out-of-hours service, which may be the better first call for a young child.
If your child needs to be seen urgently and your GP is closed, the HSE says to phone the GP out-of-hours service.
Refer me to a consultant: ask first
Whether an online GP will write a referral letter depends on the service and on what you need, so ask before you pay.
Medical Council guidance says a doctor seeing you remotely or out of hours should update your own GP, unless you don't consent. For an ongoing problem, your own GP is usually best placed to refer you.
Prescribe strong painkillers or sleeping tablets: unlikely
Strong painkillers such as morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl are Schedule 2 controlled drugs. Their prescriptions are valid for only 14 days and cannot be repeated. Controlled-drug prescriptions must be on paper or sent through Healthmail; other electronic copies are not legally valid.
Most sleeping tablets and benzodiazepines (for example zolpidem and diazepam) are Schedule 4 Part 1. They can be repeated for up to 6 months, and a pharmacist can't extend them.
Joint Medical Council and pharmacy guidance asks a prescriber who isn't your usual GP to talk to your GP and pharmacist. In practice, expect your own GP to manage these medicines.
Weight care
gpcompare.ie does not cover weight-loss treatment. For independent information on that, see glp1.ie.