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

The key issue I want to focus on in terms of the programme for Government concerns those with chronic long-term illnesses. The programme for Government was very emphatic that they would be given medical cards. I have been raising with the Taoiseach the issue of discretionary medical cards. He needs to be accountable to us regarding the absolute failure to meet the objective in this regard. Yesterday, I came across a person with multiple sclerosis who had a medical card for many years but who received communication again from the authorities to say her medical card is now gone.

I met the mother of a 15 year old child recently. At six years of age, the child had a tumour which caused life-long visual impairment. The child had a medical card but a month or two before Christmas, unbelievably, it was taken away. That decision has been appealed. A number of Deputies, including the Minister for Health, would have received a heart-rending e-mail from a family that is extraordinarily distressed, in health terms, with a very sick young baby and a parent with health issues too. The parent had fought to retain his child's card and managed to do so. He did not realise that his own card was under review because the expiry date is some years away. One can imagine his shock when, on going into the local pharmacy, he discovered from the pharmacist that he had lost his medical card. The devastation that news caused to himself and his wife was extraordinary. We are hearing stories about medical cards-----

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