Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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I will not name the person and have not done so far. This person states clearly:

During the last five years I have attempted to use the card to help me to apply for dental, ophthalmic and aural services and outpatient services to no avail. The medical professionals are completely unaware of the existence of the enhanced medical card and what it might allow a person to qualify for. I have produced the card to the various health professionals in inpatient and outpatient settings and almost all without exception the person that I was dealing with had no knowledge of the card. In some cases, after undertaking further research, I would be informed that the enhanced medical card did not provide a route to services and that is the best, and indeed only, card to access services was the ordinary medical card. I have been advised that the enhanced medical card did not entitle me to any more services or speedier service than the ordinary medical card, which many of the survivors would already be entitled to either because of age or because of their financial situation.