David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Will Mr. Flanagan hang on a second? I am not asking about GP visit cards. I accept they have been extended. What we are talking about here is medical cards. The reason I am asking the question is because I accept what we are trying to do with the rent-a-room exemption and the logic for it. We have a housing crisis and students need accommodation. I fully accept it and I will be supporting the Bill 100%. I do not have a difficulty with it. However, we are doing it at a time when the income threshold to qualify for a medical card has not changed in as long as 20 years.

I accept that there has been movement on free GP cards. We collectively as an Oireachtas signed up to moving towards universal healthcare and more people not just having free GP cards but also medical cards. Giving more medical cards is the logical next step as we expand entitlement if we want to get to universal healthcare. However, there seems to be an awful lack of information within the Department. This point is important. If we were to extend the income thresholds by increments of €10,000 a year, is there a sense in the Department of how many additional people would then qualify for a medical card and what that would cost? In other words, is that modelling and work being done? Can that information be provided to this committee?