Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----to solve the issues to bring us from a very difficult position to a position of solvency, which we have now arrived at. We have tried to do that and have done that in as compassionate and open a way as we can. Have we made mistakes? Yes, and I agree with Deputy Calleary that the handling in terms of the administration and some of the letters people got is unacceptable. It is unacceptable to every member of Government and we need to do better. If one looks at discretionary medical cards and the general review of medical cards, there is a normal turnover. One could instance thousands being changed. Out of 1.8 million, naturally people's circumstances change and there are people who losing medical cards and new people gaining them. What we have to do is to have an objective system that works wherever one lives in the country, that is compassionate and that takes account not only of financial means, but also of health criteria.

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