Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I know every effort is made by the HSE to keep it within the framework of the legislation. Will a simpler system be brought forward so that families like Natalia's and Natalia herself, who has lifelong complications, are not faced with an 80-page document, dozens of phone calls and over and back trying to source a medical card? Will the Minister consider the two suggestions they made? One was that a medical card be given straight away to people with life-long conditions. They are registered at birth as having these life-long conditions. It is not the case that in three years, these conditions suddenly disappear for that family. The second was an easier system for those who do not have life-long disabilities. Surely, at this stage, we can have a more compassionate approach to issuing medical cards in these instances. If we are to introduce universal healthcare, which everybody in this House agrees on, there must be a need that should be put first in developing that system and where better to start than with those with lifelong medical conditions being given medical cards without all the bureaucracy and red tape? It is continuous. It is heartbreaking. Families have so much going on when looking after children with these conditions. I have had healthy children and grandchildren and there are times when you are filling out forms that it is unreal. Families dealing with conditions like these should not be faced with 80-page documents to try to source a medical card for a child.

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