Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It will be interesting to see how that will work.

On the question Deputy Cullinane raised, I just want to probe a bit further the general approach to entitlement to medical cards. It is extraordinary that the income limits have not increased for 20 years, at a time when we are supposed to be extending access to people. I am particularly concerned about people under 70 and under 66. It is in their 50s and 60s that people tend to develop chronic illnesses and need access to services. There seems to be a tendency to steer people away from medical cards to GP visit cards, which are fine for providing access to GP visits but there is a whole range of other services that people require, such as access to public health nurse services and therapies and so on. What is the rationale for just funnelling people towards free GP care rather than the full range of services? It is generally recognised that a GP may be the gatekeeper but what people need generally need is access to other medical services, from therapists and public health nurses in particular.