John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for this motion and I thank the Minister for his very positive response. This was a specific proposal Fianna Fáil had in its manifesto and I am quite sure it was part of the manifestos of all the main parties. I am glad that for once we can stand here as a group to deliver on a commitment we made to one of the most vulnerable sections of our society.

Access to a medical card for children who have a serious illness or condition is a fundamental requirement and is important to the families. I welcome to the Gallery tonight the group from Our Children's Health and parents of children who have disabilities. While welcoming the good news I hope in future that basic fundamental requirements such as this could happen without the need for sustained campaigns from groups, families and political parties, when it is blatantly obvious that it should have been done a long time ago. The parents work so hard in dealing with their children who have disabilities and their time would be far better spent looking after their loved ones rather than campaigning on such difficult issues. I hope it is a lesson for us all.

With regard to other issues affecting children with profound disabilities, it is concerning that when those children become adults the level of care and available budget are just not sufficient. I met a mother last weekend in my clinic. She has a 19 year old son with a severe and profound disability. Before he turned 18 years of age he had received respite care once a week. This service stopped as soon as he turned 18. There was no adult respite care available. Unfortunately his mother became exceptionally unwell last year and at one stage was at death's door. She was advised to spend at least two months recuperating. After nine days in hospital she had to return home to assist her husband in looking after their 19 year old son who has a profound disability because they could not get respite care. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, and the Minister of Health, Deputy Harris, would ring fence specific funding to assist young adults and people with profound disabilities to get respite care. It is an important call as an additional support to help these people.

Cancer patients could also benefit from automatic medical cards. This year some 30,000 people will hear the words "You have cancer". Once a patient is diagnosed his or her life changes beyond belief and the last thing that person needs is to go through the arduous process of applying for a medical card. Once a consultant confirms that a patient has cancer, a letter presented to the HSE should automatically entitle that person to a medical card for at least 12 months. During that intervening period any paperwork that is necessary can then be put together. As a practising pharmacist who deals with patients daily I assure the House that once a cancer patient is diagnosed they need to concentrate all their time and effort on getting better. They can get better, but having to worry about the costs of medication and GP visits and so on is something they should not be burdened with. As the Minister is aware, once a person is diagnosed with cancer their ability to work and earn changes fundamentally. An automatic medical card would go a long way towards easing the burden and towards helping the patients recover.

If we are to bring these fundamental changes to our medical card system, general practitioners are the one key group we must bring with us in this process. While we would all love a universal GP system with visits free for everybody - we will work towards that - it is not going to happen overnight. The process is going to happen over years. However, for the 10,000 people the Minister is bringing on board this evening, and for the cancer patients whom I hope the Minister will also look to bringing in to automatic eligibility in the near future, we also need the GPs to be properly resourced and fully supportive of our proposals so they can carry out their work. Many well qualified doctors are leaving the State because the necessary supports to allow them to practice and carry out their business professionally do not exist. Rural areas are losing GPs on a regular basis because of lack of supports. I urge the Minister to consider, in working towards universal GP care, that we bring this important group with us and that every decision we make is made in consultation and in agreement with them.

It is really good news to hear that the domiciliary care allowance recipients will avail of the cards easily and seamlessly. It is a welcome measure and we can be proud of it. I welcome the Minister's commitment to making this happen quickly. I also welcome the Sinn Féin motion in allowing Deputies to discuss the matter in the House. For once we can be proud of the commitments that have been made in the Chamber and that we, as a political body, have kept them and can stand over them.

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