Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In fact, it is not happening as it should. The people involved know that full well. Where there is a terminal illness or life-threatening illness that may become terminal, what does the section want? Does it want somebody to say the patient is going to die? That is essentially what it is coming down to. That is not something I or anybody else should decide. In order to deal with the situation that presents itself, in which the patient is under stress owing to illness and thoughts of how things might pan out, there is a need for some small gesture of reassurance, such as an emergency medical card. This would be of some small assistance to an affected family. The cost would not tear the nation apart. It is just a simple gesture to alleviate some of the burden on an family affected. It may be the head of the family or a junior member. I ask the Minister of State to relay this to the relevant section of the Department straight away. Could it have a little humanity and compassion and apply them? In all cases, the people in question said they want the medical card only for the time involved, whatever that may be, and not forever. It is to relieve the stress. They have enough stress already. We do not need to add to it by dragging patients through an assessment, all based on money. That is not the way the system is supposed to work.

I assure Minister of State that I have dealt with this for many years. Somebody is sitting on a file or files somewhere waiting for confirmation. They are not entitled to do so. What is happening to the patients is appalling. I ask the Minister of State to convey my views to the authorities concerned in the shortest possible time.

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