Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I am interested in the examples cited by the Deputy, but I cannot give him a solution because I am not the appropriate Minister to give the discretionary information he requires. Deputy Costello has put forward an interesting number of examples which give rise to concern about the manner in which these matters are being investigated and assessed by the HSE. Applicants whose weekly incomes are solely derived from social welfare or HSE payments, even where the amounts are in excess of the HSE income guidelines, are granted a medical card, either a first application of a renewal. Where income guidelines are principal benchmark used for deciding medical card eligibility, the HSE does look beyond the applicant's financial situation and has regard to other matters that it considers appropriate in assessing a person for a medical card.

Rather than giving the Deputy the standard reply I have before me, I will ask the Deputy to furnish me with the examples he has cited this evening, including correspondence. I will then bring them to the attention of Minister of Health. I will ask him to have them fully investigated.

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