Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach told us that it would affect only 3% of the people. Not only can the Minister not do his sums, but the Taoiseach cannot do his sums either. According to the Taoiseach, 3% of those over 70 were going to be affected by the reversal of policy on eligibility in this budgetary proposal. I do not mind having a cut and thrust, but it takes hard brass neck to come in here and state that it will only affect a few people. It will affect an awful lot of people. There are 380,000 people in this country aged over 70, but the Minister is forgetting that every year, more people will come into the over 70s bracket. It will affect a certain percentage this year, but that percentage will increase year on year because of the demographics. The Minister is clapping himself on the back because it will only affect a certain percentage in 2014, but in 2015, 2016 and 2017, it will affect an awful lot more people, assuming - we cannot assume anything of the Minister for Health any more - that he will not decrease the eligibility criteria again or that he will not be back here next year saying "we might reduce it a small bit further".

The Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, was very straightforward in our exchanges, although at times he thought he was in the Four Courts. He said that we did not support the under-fives. I do not think that anybody would support the under-fives if it meant their grandparents were being asked to pay by way of medical cards being taken from them to subsidise the under-fives.

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