Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have listened carefully to what the Deputy has said. Deputy Kelleher is correct. There are other types of reviews, apart from random reviews but we need to be able to conduct each type. Risk-based reviews will also be part of the process. Deputy Healy made the point about cards being valid until 2020 but we must have the power to review eligibility. We must have the power to do that. The Deputy suggested that in many cases the income of the cardholder is unlikely to change, but we cannot know that as a certainty. There is no flag in the system to highlight individuals whose income will never change. We must have the power to review eligibility. I agree with the Chairman that it must be done sensitively. The HSE must ensure that the communication process is sensitive and proper. That is being done and being improved upon as we speak.