Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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I have just one question. Social Justice Ireland published a report recently. There were a number of elements to it, but Social Justice Ireland identified a particular category, a regrettably growing number of people whom one could loosely call the working poor. These are people who would not necessarily qualify for medical cards but who have no immunity from illness either so will have occasion to visit their GPs. I appreciate the witnesses may have to follow up with us on this, and that would be fine, but could they offer us a view as to whether, in their experience, there are people for whom GPs may prescribe medication but who do not have the means to fill that prescription and who may find themselves at the doors of accident and emergency departments or elsewhere because they are not getting the treatment they need, even though they may have been prescribed it? This is something I have seen but it is anecdotal. Is there evidence of or information on this that we might be able to look up?