Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have a common view on that. All of those things. That is one of the things being discussed now. I would like to have that agreed as soon as possible and then be able to commit to its implementation in the programme for Government, but my concern is that we will not be able to agree the contract until after the new Government is formed, and then we have to go looking for the money for it. That is not ideal, but that is where we are.

On children with a diagnosis of cancer, that decision was made by the director general on the advice of the clinical advisory group, which now advises on the guidelines for the discretionary medical cards. That whole area is fraught. Nobody has the right answers when it comes to the guidelines for discretionary medical cards, which is why we need to keep changing them and updating them. The whole issue of using the domiciliary care allowance, DCA, as a proxy for medical card eligibility was considered by the clinical advisory group. On the face of it, I thought it was a good idea. Maybe it is still a good idea. I would not rule out doing it, but the view I came to was that it was not a good proxy for eligibility for a medical card because many people who receive DCA have a disability, but that does not necessarily mean they have high medical needs or considerable medical costs. One will come across people with disabilities who will say they are not looking for a medical card - that they would like to have one, but they would prefer more educational supports or more supports around employment. That is the dilemma. Members will know themselves. They will know people who have a disability but do not have to see their doctors a great deal and are not on any medications.