Ms Laverne McGuinness:

Deputies Billy Kelleher and Seamus Healy raised various queries. Some 1.87 million people are covered by medical cards, 68,000 more than were covered last year. The determining factor, in the first instance, for a medical card is a financial assessment. In the event that people marginally exceed that assessment figure, they can either qualify for a general practitioner, GP, visit card or, where they have medical conditions, apply for a discretionary medical card. A full review is being carried out of the discretionary medical card system to ensure medical doctors examine the assessments and clients and that it is not just a managerial or administrative function. A doctor is heading up the review process and a medical doctor engages locally in each of the regions. There are 59,000 discretionary medical cards and more than 19,200 discretionary GP visit cards. These are significant numbers.

A person is not automatically entitled to a discretionary medical card if he or she has cancer and is above the financial threshold. A person is so entitled if it is life-limiting cancer, in which case we grant the card within 24 hours as an emergency measure for a period of six months.

Deputy Billy Kelleher mentioned random reviews of medical cards. A number of reviews are being conducted. Regarding this year's changes to the income thresholds for the over 70 year olds and the adjustments for persons aged less than 70 years, a review is being carried out of those involved. However, it is not random. It is actually based on a-----