Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:

"–commends the Government for its unparalleled increases in health funding;

–commends the Government's health strategy which is firmly grounded in the principles of equity, accountability, fairness and people-centredness;

–recognises the Government's continued commitment as stated in the strategy, cogniscent of overall resource considerations, to extending medical card coverage to cover more people on low income, including targeted increases to ensure more children, in particular, are covered;

–commends the Government on the publication of the strategy, Primary Care: A New Direction, which sets out a blueprint for the delivery of integrated primary care services by multidisciplinary teams of health professionals, and for its work to date in implementing this strategy, including the provision of funding of €8.4 million for ten initial implementation projects around the country, each of which will involve putting in place an integrated primary care team;

–commends the Government's clear commitments to targeting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including:

–continued investment in services for people with disabilities and older people,

–initiatives to improve the health of Travellers, homeless people, drug misusers, asylum seekers-refugees and prisoners, and

–the implementation of the NAPS targets relating to health."

I welcome the Minister. Everybody in the House will sympathise with the situation outlined by Senator Tuffy but all is not perfect in the world. Medical cards were designed for and are available to those in society who most need them. There are eligibility levels which are means-tested. It is a wonderful system and a great service but it could not be administered in any other way.