Ms Laverne McGuinness:

On the of issue medical cards Deputy Sandra McLellan raised a number of queries one of which was in regard to the sharing of information between the Department of Social Protection, the Revenue Commissioners and ourselves. Anything we do will be done in consultation with the Data Protection Commissioner. That office is involved in the process. The National Adult Literacy Agency, NALA, has been involved in the redesign of the medical card application form and continues to be involved to review it.

The Deputy asked about the discretionary medical card. Such cards are issued only for a period of 12 months. They are reviewed after that period and if still warranted they will be reissued. In some circumstances a GP visit card is issued. The full circumstances are taken into account. The medical officers have been put in place to ensure a full medical assessment takes place. A person's finances are also taken into account as it is basis on which a person gets a discretionary medical card. The threshold is much higher than the normal threshold for applications. We have a procedure in place in respect of the discretionary medical card and we have had it analysed and assessed. Our probity and also the Government require us to review the discretionary medical card after a period of 12 months. If warranted, it will be reissued. In some cases a GP visit card is issued where that is considered to be appropriate in line with our governance. We have standardised it by putting it into the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service, PCRS, whereas it had been localised prior to that.