Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----who have medical cards. This is at a time when, as we are all aware, there has been extreme pressure on the public finances.

It has always been the case that medical cards are reviewed upon renewal. The Government's approach is that medical card applications should be looked at sympathetically. The financial circumstances of individuals and their medical needs are taken into account.

We have all had experience of individual cases that, from time to time, have had to be pursued with the HSE about the issue of a medical card, but I assure Deputy Healy there is no targeting of any medical card holders. The Government is clearly determined that the medical needs of persons in this country are met. That is why we have worked so hard to restore the country's public finances so that we can continue to meet the needs of those who need medical cards and, as I stated, there are more medical cards under this Government than were ever issued in the history of the State.

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