Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. In the last budget or perhaps the one before, we increased the income limits for access to the full medical card, although that was probably for the over-70s, not those between 66 and 69, and I imagine the Deputy’s constituent is in that bracket. I can see how it could be a difficulty that somebody moving from invalidity pension or carer’s payments would then lose eligibility for a three-year period, even though their income is exactly what it was before. I can see there is an issue there. There is definitely an anomaly. I will commit to examining the matter in conjunction with the Ministers for Health and Social Protection, Deputies Stephen Donnelly and Humphreys, to see if we can do something about it in October.

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