Results 25,521-25,540 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: I thank Deputy Martin for his question. I recall in 2002-----

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: Deputy Healy-Rae should know that I always like to remind Deputy Martin of the truth. It is a very important element in Irish life.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: In 2002, Deputy Martin promised the electorate 200,000 extra medical cards. By the time he left the Department of Health in 2004, it was estimated that 100,000 individuals on low incomes had lost eligibility. That is Deputy Martin’s record.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: The question of discretionary medical cards, long-term illness cards, or cards for children or people with particular difficulties or for emergency situations is very serious because it impacts on people’s quality of life and causes stress and anxiety.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: A great number of our people who have full medical cards have not used them for quite some time because, as the Deputy knows, the legislation governing medical cards is based on financial hardship, not on medical condition. Community welfare officers in different parts of the country used their judgment in different ways to grant medical cards or not.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: That was from Deputy O'Dea. Deputy Martin centralised this process and the same criteria applied to everybody. That is where the problem has arisen because the centralisation does not take into account the particular circumstances that might apply in any individual case. When Deputy Reilly became Minister for Health-----

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----he requested a detailed examination of the 78,000 people who held medical cards on a discretionary basis, in March 2011. Of the 77,925 discretionary medical cards in circulation on 1 March 2011 their status on 1 March 2014 is that 25,398 people, 33%, still hold a medical card on a discretionary basis; 37,906 people, 49%, now have a full medical card based on an assessment of means-----

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: The Deputies opposite may laugh if they want. There are 37,906 people with a full medical card; 14,621 people, 19%, no longer hold a medical card, 3% of them were deceased, 7% did not respond to correspondence; 2% did not complete the review process and 7% completed the process but were found to be ineligible for a medical card. One of the key goals of the reform of the health system is to...

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----can get an integrated package of services of care built around their particular needs. The Health Service Executive, on the basis of current legislation which states this is based on financial hardship, may allow discretion – I know families, good luck to them, who may well be very much in excess of the income limit, they might be very high earners - but no matter how far one...

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: Nobody should be asked that question, Deputy McGrath.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: I cannot defend somebody in whatever office-----

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----sending out a reply to a person who suffers from motor neurone disease asking if the person is still suffering from the disease.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: This is what we have to get right.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: This is where the Minister, Deputy Reilly, and others are working to ensure that the package of services and facilities are made available to those people in their particular difficulties.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: I understand Deputies raising the question of discretionary cards. I have given them the figures three years on from 2011 but I want them to understand that there is not an attempt here to show lack of understanding, compassion or consideration for people who have these challenges.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: It is a question of getting a system that is fair for everybody. This issue has been raised with me over the years. I have been asked questions such as, "How come this person had got a medical card and I cannot have one?" and "How come this was allowed and it was not allowed in my case?"

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: If we are going to have a standard, we need to look at what we are doing here. If it is on the basis of financial hardship, we need to apply discretion as far as we can but we need to put the local integrated package around people who need it to see that they get that care and attention.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: Let me assure Deputy Martin that he is not the arbiter of all things that are just and fair in the country.

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: His own record speaks for itself - it was disgraceful. I called in the HSE, the Minister for Health and everybody else to discuss these questions-----

Leaders' Questions (14 May 2014)

Enda Kenny: -----because Deputies on this side of the House were bringing to our attention very serious cases. I have not heard Deputy Martin say that the law should be changed from what it is at the moment where it is based on financial hardship.