Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to respond to this issue. I acknowledge the categorical statement made that people whose cards are under review are entitled to be provided with treatment under their previous qualification. We have a systems rather than a policy difficulty here. The policy is correct but the systems difficulty must be sorted. I appreciate the Minister of State's response in dealing with this matter in a speedy fashion today.

I have a supplementary question. One of the initial stages in the proposed roll-out of a universal health care programme as laid out in the programme for Government is the provision of doctor-only medical cards for patients with long-term illness. This is a similar sort of process in that it broadens the qualification process for the medical cards. Will the Minister of State tell me how that part of the universal health care programme is developing?

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