Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I will respond to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, and I thank Deputy Doyle for raising this issue.

The long-term illness scheme arose from a non-statutory scheme, established in 1967, to supply free of charge certain products to persons for the treatment of diabetes. A statutory scheme was introduced in 1971 under section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970. It provides that a health board, now the HSE, may make arrangements for the supply without charge of drugs, medicines or medical and surgical appliances to persons suffering from a prescribed disease or disability of a permanent or long-term nature.

The conditions which have been prescribed are mental handicap, mental illness for people under 16 only, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, Parkinsonism, conditions arising from thalidomide and acute leukaemia.

From 1971, a separate scheme was introduced to refund the cost of drugs above a certain threshold for non-medical card holders. This evolved into the drugs payment scheme in 1999. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €100 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The drugs payment scheme is easy to use and significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.

When the drugs payment scheme was introduced, it was decided to continue the long-term illness scheme for the conditions already covered, but it has not been extended and there are no plans to do so. People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the Health Service Executive can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family. Those who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of general practice consultations.

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