Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have done very little work yet today. The last episode may have been good public relations but not substantive work in terms of the key issues.

On proposed legislation, the programme for Government contains a number of commitments in relation to primary care, including legislative commitments. The programme for Government commits specifically to the introduction of legislation to provide for access by people on the long term illness scheme to a medical card. The Government committed in the recent budget to the allocation of medical cards to children under five years of age. However, there are many young children above the age of five years across this country who urgently need medical cards and have had them withdrawn. I am speaking in this regard of children with Ehlers Danos syndrome and Down's syndrome and others with chronic multiple conditions who need medical cards. When is the Health (General Practitioner Medical Service) Bill 2013 due and can it be amended to provide that young chronically sick children and teenagers are accommodated in any extension of the medical card eligibility criteria? One needs only to read the website of the Jack and Jill Foundation to learn of the degree to which parents have to fight for medical cards. When will the legislation to underpin the extension of medical card eligibility be introduced?

The Tánaiste might also indicate when the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill to provide revised equalisation credits for 2014 and some technical amendments to the health insurance Acts, which is on the C list, will be introduced. Surely, if it is to be in place in advance of 2014, we can expect it will be taken in the House before the end of this session. When will the Licensing of Health Care Facilities Bill, which is to provide for a mandatory system of licensing for public and private health care facilities, be published?

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