Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important topic for debate.

Medical cards have dominated much of the debate in recent months in this House, but today I want to talk about a specific group of applicants. In recent weeks, my office has seen an increasing number of cancer patients who have been waiting for extended periods for their medical card applications to be processed. None of us wants those diagnosed with cancer to be put under any undue stress waiting for a medical card. The reason I brought this to the attention of the Minister of State today is that I want to ask her to consider fast-tracking medical card applications for cancer patients and issuing medical cards automatically to those who are terminally ill. Both of these suggestions should be implemented through a dedicated unit within the medical card section of the Department. As the Minister of State is well aware, this call has been made by many on the front line in recent years. I have been in touch with people such as social workers who deal with patients on a daily basis, and some of the stories I have heard are genuinely upsetting, such as patients who received their medical cards after passing away or had to go without wigs following their chemotherapy treatment because they simply could not afford to purchase them on their own. No Member of the House, including the Minister of State, wishes to hear stories such as this, but that is the reality.

Prior to the centralisation of the application process, emphasis was put on fast-tracking applications from cancer patients. Staff at local level did this well and effectively, and it took many people out of difficulty. However, that is no longer the case. To make the problem worse, neither patients nor their social workers can speak personally to anybody, thus increasing the uncertainty. Although some staff in the HSE try to help over the telephone, people are very dissatisfied with the current service.

I urge the Minister of State to give serious consideration to these two categories of patients. When a person is diagnosed with cancer, it is a point in their lives when they are under more stress and pressure than ever. I have spoken to the Minister of State personally about this issue and know she understands the difficulties people are experiencing. It would be a huge step forward if she could do something for them.

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