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

The Tánaiste has not really dealt with the core point of the question. Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is why I focused on the impact of the Government's policy for children and people in general with disabilities who have lost their discretionary medical cards. The general increase in the number of medical cards is related to the economic position, unemployment and so on, but a policy change has been implemented by the Government in respect of discretionary medical cards, with a devastating impact on many people with disabilities. These are the people who are most sick; they have multiple conditions or very rare syndromes. I mentioned in the House the case of Katie Connolly, a five-year-old girl with Down's syndrome who is asthmatic and who has juvenile arthritis and a heart condition. We have also raised the case of an 11-and-a-half year old child who is one of six in the world with a particular syndrome that brings very serious issues.

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