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

Not only is the Minister of State playing with words, he is playing with people's lives when it comes to discretionary medical card withdrawals. Time and again when we have raised the issue of discretionary medical cards in this House, the response has been that there is no such entity as a discretionary medical card. Up until last year, every HSE service plan made provision for discretionary medical cards. Provision in that regard was always included in the HSE budget. We now find it has been removed from the lexicon of the Department in terms of primary care funding. While provision was always made for discretionary medical cards, they are now being systematically withdrawn.

Last Sunday week was International Down's syndrome day. Families of children with Down's syndrome are time and again highlighting that they are unable to obtain or renew discretionary medical cards. Some 50% of families in this country have lost or cannot get a discretionary medical card based on medical need. That is a fact.

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