Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In respect of the over 70s, the Government this morning approved the authorisation for the Minister to draft that legislation. The question of the medical cards for under-sixes is under negotiation between the HSE, the Department and the GPs. They are not concluded yet. I understand there is a further meeting this week and the Minister will report to Cabinet on the outcome of that meeting. Clearly, these depend upon participation by general practitioners to make them work. I do not have a date for the Deputy in respect of the HIQA Act to which he referred, that is the Health Act of 2007. I will update Deputy Adams on the work that is under way there.

I have already said to Deputy Martin that the Government will bring forward a number of options for further enhancing the situation in so far as mortgages are concerned. I would say to Deputy Adams that 100,000 cases have been settled and agreed and the vast majority of those are able to sustain the commitments entered into in the rearranged position and that is to be welcomed. There are others out there that have a different range of difficulties, and they can only be sorted out by having engagement and a process by which they might be concluded. We will come back to that in April.

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