Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I agree with one point Deputy Healy-Rae made on the processing of medical cards. This is a universal experience. Nothing is more difficult to deal with than the case of a constituent who come to a Member and who is only applying for a medical card in the first place because they need it from an income point of view or because they need it from a health point of view. Such a person is already in a situation of reliance and sometimes they will be in a state of upset. They put in the application form and, too frequently, I have had to deal with the issue of an application that either has not been received or, if it has been received, the correct use has not be made of it and those involved are unable to track it in the system and cannot give a prompt answer.

I disagree with Deputy Healy-Rae's comments in respect of the strategy. I believe the right thing to do is to centralise the system so that one group of people deals with all of it and this group has a system that they can use. Like Deputy Healy-Rae, I have found that the individuals working in that department are undoubtedly doing their best and are always full of compassion for the people with whom they are dealing and for the circumstances they are managing. Yet, it is still not working.

The Minister has acknowledged that more must be done and more will be done to give people a prompt and a more efficient service than they experience at the moment. It is most important that we do this. For many people, the main symbol of their involvement with our health system is the fact that they have a medical card and the fact that this confers on them certain benefits to which they are fully entitled. A speedier resolution of claims and applications would make a considerable difference to the lives of many people in the State.

I refer to three points related to the HSE action plan under discussion. There is provision in the plan for the measurement of the number of people waiting for more than nine months for scheduled care. This provision is acknowledged in a section of the report. The target laid out in the report for this year is that no one will be waiting for more than nine months for scheduled care. This is laid out explicitly. A total of zero people will be waiting and 0% of those who apply and who are on a waiting list will have to wait for more than nine months. It is necessary to set this target because no one should be in a system in which they must wait for more than nine months for necessary care. It is also an ambitious target in the context of the waiting lists and delays in place at the moment.

This is the singular measure in a long document with a considerable array of indicators and various measures to be tracked. If progress was made in this respect it would have a significant effect on people's perception of our health system and their ability to get into the system in the time they need. As other Deputies have acknowledged, the problem in many cases is not people's difficulty with the health system but the difficulty they face getting into it. I emphasise that this single measurement and the clarity of the objective set down is of considerable value this year.

Another issue dear to my heart because of the number of times it occurs in my constituency is the matter of children who are homeless, especially youths who are homeless, who have no place to go and who are reliant on the care of the State to ensure they are safe and not exposed to danger. Unfortunately, we have forfeited this responsibility in the past. However, I am pleased to see that targets are laid down for what we must do this year and there are several other plans that must be delivered upon. I was concerned to learn that the main reference beside this target or plan is to establish a base line in 2012. I would have thought that was already in place and I hope we can establish the ambitious targets in this area and deliver them.

I acknowledge the many good things in the report. I welcome the final agreement on the building of the new national children's hospital which will start soon and I welcome the completion of the extension of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, which will provide even better facilities for people seeking to access it.

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