John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am almost spoiled as most of the questions have already been asked. It is not merely a matter of reducing medical card cover for the sake of it. It is a matter of taking everything into context. There was a huge reduction in tax receipts coupled with the very great demands on the Department of Health and Children for further new services. In that regard I must support the strategy. I still do.

As the Government faces issues in that area, it must respond to the demands on the street. I do not believe that the demands from the street were part of any change, or any attempt to present a different strategy by way of medical card cover. I was there to meet many of the people on the street who had been convinced——

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