Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 4, subsection (2), lines 3 and 4, to delete "this Part by virtue of section 45(5A)" and substitute the following:

"Part IV of the Act of 1970 by virtue of section 45(5A) of that Act".

This is a technical amendment to clarify that the reference is to Part IV of the 1970 Act. The services under Part IV are in-patient and out-patient services, provision of ambulances etc., general practitioner and medical-surgical services. Medical cards are provided as evidence of full eligibility. Persons with full eligibility hold a medical card and are eligible for a full range of services. As I said earlier in a response on Second Stage, many of the issues raised such as appliances, home supports, home care packages and home helps are provided on the basis of clinical need, not on the basis of whether or not somebody has a medical card. Clearly, they are provided for people under the age of 70 if they are deemed to be clinically in need of it, as well as people over the age of 70.

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