Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What has happened in the past is there was a modification for those terminally ill. I know that is not a great message either in terms of allocation of medical cards. I think Government is sympathetic but then it would have to apply to all. There are different forms of illness, like motor neurone, dementia, chronic cardiovascular disease and others. The principle advanced so far on the ground is that every case should be assessed, and that flexibility and adaptability should be there. It should not just be through the income threshold prism but also through medical information and so on, in order that people can get access to the medical card. I fully accept what the Deputy is saying about additional costs. We are investing heavily in cancer centres across the country. For the first time ever, Cancer Connect is getting funding. That all helps patients, irrespective of income. That is the first time that has happened, and I insisted in the last Government with the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, that we would for the first time create permanent funding for a lot of cancer centres. I praise the Irish Cancer Society for the work it does in advocacy and service provision.

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