Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The problem with cancer patients and the 15 day loophole the HSE uses is that the medical card section in Finglas is involved in what is called a three card trick. Even though it has direct access to Revenue and social welfare and can get information at the touch of a button, it deliberately forces sick patients to go to local tax offices to get printouts of their last tax liabilities and to go into social welfare offices to get printouts of their social welfare payments. Such a policy delays processing applications and saves the medical card section money.

The report of the medical card eligibility group recommended that we should not base medical cards on particular medical conditions. However, the subsequent Minister announced that every child in the country diagnosed with cancer would get a medical card. I ask the Minister of State to lift that age barrier. Regardless of age, if someone is diagnosed with cancer they should get a medical card.

I refer to the rural discrimination that is taking place across the board regarding medical cards, and not just for cancer patients and the chronically ill. I want the Minister of State to address this issue. A patient in Galway city is receiving treatment in Dublin and was given medical expenses of €14.45 a week less than a patient living beside him in Galway city who receives treatment in University Hospital Galway. The reality is that even though there is a lack of public transport in rural Ireland, the HSE is deliberately ignoring transport costs when making medical assessments. This practice is taking place across the county and the reality is that the HSE is actively discriminating against those living in rural Ireland who are sick and cannot travel from provincial towns to regional centres.

See this speech in context