Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issuance of letters is an issue. The fear of God is instilled in people, particularly the elderly, when there is no need to do so in many cases. We all accept that some people who have medical cards should not have received them. When Deputy Billy Kelleher's party was in government, patronage was ripe. That was the way it was then, but everything has changed.