Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I get that and I know Mr. Ryan cannot have knowledge of all the cases that are being thrown his way today. As a Deputy, I am aware of a significant number of people behind the scenes who are crisscrossing by phoning GPs asking whether they can take them in because they cannot get to their local GP. We appreciate there is significant strain but as the administrative body for the GMS, I want the HSE to get that picture as well, namely, that it is not all just essential healthcare and that people are losing out on some employment opportunities because their local GP is unable to take them.

In general terms, I always was of the view that someone who had a medical card would, by and large, receive a free hospital stay or that it would be largely subvented. However, it has come to my attention that in St. Camillus's hospital, Limerick, to where many people from the southern part of my home county of Clare occasionally have to go as patients, medical cardholders are being charged a weekly stay rate of €179. That might not sound too high compared to other hospitals but it is rather high when one factors in other things. One constituent with whom I am dealing had to stay there for three or four months following a stroke. This person is on a low income and has a medical card but he left hospital facing a mammoth bill that he and his family do not know how to pay. Are there many cases like that where there is still a payment for hospital stays, regardless of whether or not the person has a medical card?