Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and support this Private Members' motion. Hopefully, it will refocus and allow for a re-examination of the inhumane and harsh adjudication on patients who formally would have been granted discretionary medical cards on compassionate grounds but who now are being turned away.

As indicated during this debate, there is anecdotal evidence in abundance to suggest that discretionary medical cards are more difficult - if not almost impossible - to obtain. The move to deprive non-terminal cancer sufferers of such cards is imposing further terrible anguish and stress on these individuals. Such people must deal with the psychological impact of losing their medical cards in addition to trying to cope with their ongoing conditions.

In the past, people with long-term or lifelong illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, cerebral palsy and cancer were granted discretionary medical cards on compassionate grounds in circumstances in which there was undue hardship. Now, however, those who suffer with such conditions are asked about their incomes and means and receive repeated requests for further information. The application process is long and drawn out. Reviews are carried out and people may eventually be obliged to lodge appeals on the basis that they have rapidly progressive illnesses which may eventually prove terminal. The latter is not taken into account during the process. Taking away discretionary medical cards is not cost-effective because it means that fewer patients can be cared for in their homes and communities and that they eventually end up in hospital.

I recently dealt with a couple of cases involving people who have extremely serious health conditions. The first involves two elderly cancer patients who are married, who are old age pensioners and who have limited incomes. The wife will travel from Dingle to Cork University Hospital tomorrow for a mammogram. It will be a round trip of 250 miles. The woman is continually monitored by her GP, in various hospitals, etc. The couple in question are only just above the income limit. The husband is due to undergo treatment for prostate cancer. The second case to which I refer relates to three children from a middle-income family who all have cystic fibrosis. One of them has been chosen to take part in drug trials and will be obliged to make a round trip of 130 miles in order to attend for these in Cork University Hospital. I ask the Minister of State to take note of serious cases of this nature. I could provide him with details of several more if I had time to do so.

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