Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses.

I have a number of questions and perhaps the person best placed to answer them will jump in at the end. Regarding the review of medical cards, a letter is sent and in certain cases I have come across the individual does not respond. The people involved might be elderly and if they do not have family or a carer keeping an eye out for post sometimes these letters go unanswered. They are quite simple, asking whether the person's circumstances have changed and if the details correct. Are these followed up with phone calls? Very often in the cases I have dealt with, these people do not know they have lost their medical cards until they go to the pharmacist to get a prescription.

Why do those aged over 70 who want to be considered for a full medical card based on a medical, and who have already been granted a GP card, have to submit their financial details again even though they have already been submitted? It is very stressful.

When we know someone is going to fail the financial test and is looking to get a discretionary card based on a medical is there a way to bypass the financial test when going through the process?

With regard to dental services, I am led to believe there has been a reduction of assessments in school settings over the past decade. I am dealing with the case of an individual who has a rather severe underbite that was not picked up in primary school. The person is now over 16 and does not qualify for care. This means the parents will have to go private, which will place a huge strain on them. Is there any way these cases can be looked at where issues were not picked up in earlier assessments?