Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As an elected representative, particular claims are also made to me. The bottom line is that more than 22,000 people who previously held discretionary medical cards do not now have them because they are eligible for an ordinary medical card. Since this Government took office, more than 250,000 additional people who previously did not have a medical card have been awarded one. We now have the highest ever number of medical card holders in the history of the State. The Government wants to proceed to a process whereby we have the best health system, which will respond quickly to the needs of people in any of the categories mentioned by the Deputy.

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