Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The response of staff of the HSE with whom I am in contact in regard medical cards is very satisfactory and very prompt but I must ask from where this review has come. The review has caused considerable distress and anxiety for people when they are being reviewed. As we know, some of them should never be subject to a review because of the type of illness or condition they have. That stress is added to by the wait to see if they will be successful in holding on to their medical cards.

How much was spent tendering for the private company contracted to carry out the administrative services of the HSE for the review? There are concerns that some of the people in the particular company who are asking the questions do not have any background in this particular area. They do not have access to full records and are only getting names and addresses, which is perhaps why people are being reviewed even though they should not be. They are also getting confidential and sensitive information about people and I wonder if those people have Garda clearance.

The Minister of State said there was no deliberate targeting but he must be aware, because he has been told, of the concerns of doctors and pharmacists in regard to cases of hardship and distress among their sick and elderly patients who have had their medical cards removed. I totally agree with the Minister that they should not have to contact their politicians, but they are doing so. Like others, I have been contacted by people, in particular in their 70s, who have lost their medical cards and they are not people of means. The thresholds are a problem because somebody can miss out ever so slightly as a result of a threshold but could not be considered as a person of means.

Thalidomide sufferers and those who with symphysiotomy have medical cards, which is correct. Those who were given contaminated blood products have the HSAA card. Mr. Justice Quirke recommended that the ladies from the Magdalen laundries would have a health care package similar to the HSAA card but nothing seems to be happening in that regard and I have tabled questions to the Ministers for Justice and Equality and Health. These are elderly ladies and there are deaths all the time. They deserve better treatment than they are getting.

I refer to complementary medicines and whether they could be considered in terms of medical cards. I do not understand the rationale behind giving free health care to people who are healthy while depriving people who are ill of vital and necessary health care.

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