Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I thank the Minister for her reply. However, the answer to the question remains unclear. According to Comhairle, no rules are set out for assessing income from savings and practices vary among health service areas. The Minister stated that rules are in place, so she might outline them.

Does she accept that guidelines are extremely important? For example, all social welfare recipients formerly qualified for medical cards but that is no longer the case. A person aged 65 who just retired may have difficulties in getting a medical card. These guidelines need to be crystal clear if such people are to be able to obtain medical cards.

Will she comment on the dramatic decrease in the proportion of people on medical cards? The proportion has fallen from 35% ten years ago to 29% now, despite the introduction of the over-70s scheme. That decrease is having a serious effect in terms of preventing people from attending their family doctors. In the Republic of Ireland, it is estimated that 18.9% of people do not visit their doctors when they should because of the costs involved, whereas the figure in Britain is 1.8%.

See this speech in context