Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 14 November 2013

Public Accounts Committee

2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards

1:00 pm

Mr. John Hennessy:

We will try to be more precise about that in terms of finding a number for the Deputy. It is probably fair to say that there is an awareness within our system of the issue to which the Deputy is alluding. We are refining the review process in fairly precise ways, with links to other State agencies, to sharpen the focus of reviewing. Links with the Department of Social Protection and Revenue are key to that. There is an awareness of the issue. Part of the plan for the PCRS includes a control unit that will focus on the problem of probity in its widest sense. That is not only in regard to applicants but with regard to the entire system from a probity point of view.