Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am loath to reference anecdotal evidence from canvassing on doorsteps in light of the Minister of State's previous comments, but I refer him to a senior official of the HSE who last week stated in Galway that the removal of discretionary medical cards is indefensible. We have a Minister of State defending what he regards as a fair gateway to aids and appliances through providing a medical card. The Minister of State is continuing a crusade of removing medical cards from the most vulnerable people. I refer him to the Coyle family whose child's medical card was removed. Alexander cannot walk, talk or go to the toilet and takes 31 medicines and interventions a day. The Minister of State's crusade has taken away Alexander's medical card. The language he uses is vis-à-viswhat has been issued, but he does not state what has been culled in the reissue. Clearly, there is an inconsistency between his language and that of John Hennessy who stated these actions are indefensible. What is going on is immoral. What is being done to people who cannot defend themselves is immoral. Parents of children with Down's syndrome are written to and asked whether there is any sign on the horizon that the child is any better. This is insensitive and equal to the merit of the Minister of State's crusade to rob vulnerable people of a discretionary medical card.

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