Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)

We in Fine Gael, like the rest of the country, are appalled at the measure to cut the medical card for the over 70s. The elderly population of the country is up in arms following last week's budget announcement that the Minister for Finance had cut the automatic entitlement to the medical card for the over 70s. The Taoiseach acknowledged there would be some unease at this decision. He certainly knows now the level of unease it has caused throughout the country.

Like other Deputies, I have been inundated with calls and e-mails from worried elderly people and their families. This cut to medical cards will have a devastating effect on their daily lives. Elderly people can be anxious at the best of times, but now they feel their lifeline has been removed. The worry and anxiety being felt throughout the country is being ignored by a Fianna Fáil Government that is hell bent on bringing the country to its knees.

In 2001, when the country was thriving, the Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance at the time, Charlie McCreevy, granted everyone over 70 a medical card, with no strings attached. The Government prided itself on taking care of the elderly and gave itself a tap on the back for this gesture. Seven years later, when the going gets tough, they ask for their money back. Why pick on the elderly? The elderly have shown us that they will not take this lying down. Their response has left us in no doubt that age is no barrier to challenging injustice. Their actions have been an inspiration to us all.

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