Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Pavee Point and the primary healthcare team have called for Travellers in low-paid jobs to be entitled to a medical card. An article was published in The Irish Times a few weeks ago in which Ms Ronnie Fay, co-ordinator, Pavee Point, called for medical cards to be provided to low earners within the Traveller community. Because of the health inequalities, Travellers are not looking just a free medical card. Some Travellers can afford healthcare but many Travellers cannot because of unemployment. Then, if Travellers do seek employment, say, in a primary healthcare programme or in other areas they should be entitled to a medical card because of the health inequalities. Pavee Point is doing an awful lot of work on this issue at the moment and the initiative would be a solution going forward.