Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)

Under the measures that have been announced, more than 95% of deserving people will retain their medical cards. The new income thresholds widen the net enormously to take into account the huge proportion of our elderly who deserve our support and have always got it. Under the new arrangements, single people can now earn up to €700 a week, equating to €36,500 in a year. That excludes any savings they may have, and they still retain their medical card. Married couples can now earn up to €1,400 per week, equivalent to €73,000 per annum, again excluding their savings. For those who might not qualify under those income limits, there is the discretionary scheme, which has always been in place for those with severe medical needs and costs.

The newly announced system is more straightforward, in my view, and I sincerely hope today's developments will reduce the anxiety felt by members of the public in the past week.

Fianna Fáil has long looked after the interests of the elderly, more than any other party in this House. I thought it interesting that our Fine Gael colleague from Kildare was talking about the derisory figure of £1.40 that the revered MEP, Mr. Proinsias de Rossa, gave when he was Minister for Social Welfare. That was a severe embarrassment to Fine Gael and the Labour Party and the less said from that side of the House, the better.

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