Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

Some 100,000 fewer people have medical cards now than in 1997, a fact that is also omitted from the website. It would be far better if the Government parties were honest with the electorate, reminding it of broken promises in the area and carrying out genuine work in allocating medical cards for longer than the six months for which some people are getting them. Those with long-term illnesses must reapply consistently every six months, a ridiculous practice that is both time consuming for the patient and a waste of officials' time. This website is a very worrying development. No doubt, in the run-up to the election, we will see many more joint efforts from members of the Government to camouflage the truth.