Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

We are discussing the scenario whereby one person in a couple is a high earner while the other is in a lower income bracket. It is only fair that the combined income should be taken into consideration and that the authorities shall have regard to a person's overall financial situation. Senator Henry has expressed some criticism of the administration of medical cards. In my experience, I have not seen any situations where the income of an estranged spouse caused difficulty for a person applying for a medical card after people had been separated for a number of years. The rules have been interpreted quite fairly in that regard. There is only so much money available and a euro can only be spent once. We provided €60 million for the doctor-only card this year. It is important that we try to relieve the hardship that exists by ensuring the money is spent where it is most needed and provides the best value.