Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Yes, there is the prescription charges Bill. Those with medical cards are to be charged for prescriptions, even though they are entitled to a medical card but they cannot get it because nobody in the office in Dublin will answer the telephone and nobody will take responsibility for this matter. I have written to the Minister and to Professor Drumm and the only reply I got from the Minister is to the effect that she has no responsibility for this. I have not even got a reply from the Professor Drumm, the real Minister for Health. Will the Taoiseach intervene and not have this abuse of the elderly who are worried about their medical cards and whether their nursing home care is being paid? Their chemists and doctors tell them that there medical cards have not been renewed and they do not have medical cards even though they qualify for them. It is an abuse of the elderly and I want something done about it.

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