Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This Bill sets out to achieve savings of €24 million annually. It is envisaged that €12 million will be saved in the second half of this year if the Bill is passed. The overall budget for the medical card system is €750 million. The €24 million being saved is nitpicking in the overall context. Statistics show older people make more use of their medical cards than the general population. The figures show 94% of people over 70 visit their GP on a regular basis. It follows then that they have a high intake of drugs to help them cope with illness and disability.

As highlighted recently, the savings can be trebled or quadrupled if the whole issue of the cost of drugs is tackled. I appreciate that efforts have been made by the Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, in this regard. The issue must be tackled vigorously. We learned recently from the Sunday Business Post that vital drugs and medicines here cost double and treble the amount at which they are available to the National Health Service in the UK. We cannot allow this to continue where a neighbouring island only a short distance away uses the same suppliers. That is a ridiculous comparison. This is the route we should take. If we go in headlong, it is obvious that such costs are a deterrent to those seeking medical aid. Although covered for the cost of the doctor's visit, the next stop is the pharmacy. There are also the costs at the accident and emergency units which will be imposed and hospital daily care charges will be lost to this group, which is a vulnerable sector of society.

The gross income limits will be reviewed annually by the Minister for Health. The Bills Digest states that the limits may be increased or decreased with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. This will deprive more than 5% of the people of the medical card if the Bill is passed. That review should be done in a sensitive manner. We should not be too aggressive with these people. It has been stated that the transition period will continue up to May but perhaps the Minister would consider extending it to the end of summer as many people will have to face various forms and online communications with which they are unable to keep up.

A whole raft of overheads is coming on stream for these people - the local property tax, domestic water charges in addition to a cut in the telephone allowance and a cut in household benefits such as electricity and gas. There is the imposition of the 1% levy on hard-earned pension pots which had been put aside for a nest egg. There is also the accessing of health insurance and all types of insurance, including motor insurance. I ask the Minister to row back and rethink the issue. I am not in favour of this in the current situation.

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