Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I apologise, Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I assume we are dealing with that issue too.

With regard to the individualisation of assessment, Deputy Barrett is correct that individualisation exists in the taxation system. It was introduced in 1998, I think, and at the time it was quite controversial. One of the reasons for its introduction was to encourage married women in particular back into the workforce and to avoid them hitting the marginal rate of tax on everything they earned. It was highly successful and is generally seen to be fair.

We have to, and have begun to move on the question of pensions and dependant allowances, particularly for women. It is the case that many older women opted out of the workforce to look after their children and do not have pensions in their own right and are very dependent on their husbands. We have moved in recent years to increase the pension paid in respect of a dependent spouse. I look forward to further progress in this direction.

For the purposes of medical cards, this has an up side as well as a down side. For example, a younger person of 40, 50 or 60, who is married to an older person, will also get a card if the older person qualifies. For medical card purposes, the family benefits if the card is given, with the exception of the discretionary card which is granted in many cases on the basis of the individual's particular circumstances. It could be because somebody is terminally ill, is undergoing particular treatments, out of work or for whatever reason. These people are treated on an individual basis. However, in general we deal with families. If a husband qualifies, the wife tends to be given the card and vice versa. The same applies here. This is the reason a couple is being assessed.

Deputy Shatter mentioned anomalies such as desertion and provisions in the Social Welfare Bill, which I will discuss that with the Attorney General. However, the provisions in the Bill will exclude very few old people. I refer to a reply to a parliamentary question asked by Deputy Jan O'Sullivan with regard to the latest information on income for those aged 65 and over and those aged 70 and over. A total of 80% of people aged 70 or over have an income of €446.98 a week. Some 95% of the population will be unaffected in these circumstances.

I reiterate we are removing the automatic universal entitlement. I do not believe that somebody in my circumstances or those of most of us here should be entitled to a medical card when we know that a couple aged 69 or 68 with an income of only €298 per week is not. We would like to be more generous and I wish if resources permitted we could have been more generous but unfortunately we are not at present in a position to do so, particularly with regard to next year.

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