Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There has been no change in the medical card policy. Nobody is automatically entitled to a medical card. The problem we had in this country for so long was that different health areas allocated medical cards based on different criteria. Everybody is now treated equally, starting here. Nobody is automatically entitled to a medical card. If a parent, parents or whoever has an income in excess of the guidelines laid down, the discretionary element comes into play. Last week I had a case in which there was a claim for a medical card for someone whose income was €7,000 over the limit not just in the year but every week. I have dealt with a number of sensitive cases in the last month and I am glad that many of these were cleared due to the application of discretion because of the nature of the applicants' medical problems.

Deputy Martin mentioned Ronan and Katie and said that Ronan had 13 illnesses. The director of the HSE has met Ronan's mother on two occasions. I do not have the details of the child's illnesses, but I can understand the frustration. Deputy Martin asked me the question, as he is entitled to, of whether this child is entitled to a long-term illness card.

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