Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----if for no other reason. We are entitled to have some sense of what the timeline will be either day or indeed tomorrow. It will involve resolutions being brought before the House, the ordering of the schedule of the House and contributions from the Government and Opposition.

The second item I want to raise is a serious one concerning older people in our community, particularly up to 35,000 over 70 year olds who are having their medical cards taken from them. However, the problem for many over 70 year olds who are suffering from a severe illness or who may have particular conditions is that they cannot get a discretionary medical card under the criteria that apply to the over 70 year olds.

They are being told they have to apply on the basis of the income thresholds applicable to people under 70 years of age. As a result, some very sick elderly people are losing their medical cards. All of us are receiving representations from the relatives of 80 and 90 year olds who are losing their medical cards because of the cut in the threshold introduced in the last budget. This applies even if they suffer from a severe condition that would in ordinary times merit a medical card. The relevant legislation is the universal primary care Bill which was promised in the programme for Government. It beggars belief that the Government is on the one hand promising the introduction of universal health cover and on the other is withdrawing vital medical cards from elderly people in this country who need them.

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