Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste gave a guarantee to spend €60 million on this issue, €30 million of which was for the doctor only medical cards and €30 million for the 30,000 traditional medical cards, all of which was to commence on 1 April or thereabouts. Given the rate of progress no medical cards will be issued before the summer. How will she spend the €60 million? Will it be spent on advertising, telling people about something they will not get until all these issues are sorted out? None of the medical cards announced last November has been issued, traditional or otherwise. That is the problem. Whatever about breaking promises, there is a litany of broken promises since the general election in 2002. No medical cards have been issued, and we are now into the summer, and neither has there been an announcement in regard to capital projects for 2005. It should be made crystal clear when these medical cards will be issued. They are a big issue.

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