John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will finish on this because Deputies want to contribute. Regarding what Mr. McLoughlin said earlier about informing and educating people and upskilling the people in the call centres, it might be no harm if we were brought into the loop because we are the ones at the coalface dealing with some of the legitimate cases that are not being acknowledged for one reason or another in the HSE's medical card application system. While I have found many of the people we deal with very helpful, and some of them are here, we need to know much more in terms of the manner in which it is conducting its business to allow us at least relate to those making the applications.

I would also ask the witnesses to bear in mind the fact that many people to whom they are sending these letters, application forms, renewal forms and the random audit forms are elderly and do not have a clue what to do with them in some cases. They are going to citizens advice centres. They are coming to our clinics. Deputy Ross asked if we can influence them. All we are doing is offering them information and guidance but it is unfair to some that they are now allowed a good deal of time to submit the information and deal with it because they are elderly, sick or are waiting for a consultant's or a doctor's report in some cases.