Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I was anxious to address this section. I spoke on this issue at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power knows this. As a former Minister of State at the Department of Health, I do not understand why outside consultants are necessary in this case. I have made the case already that there are hundreds of members of the HSE. I am very surprised that the HSE is not aware of what staff actually do at community welfare office level as regards the assessment of medical cards. I made a simple suggestion to the effect that all reviews of medical cards should be postponed for the period required to assess the repayments to the participants involved in this particular campaign.

This is not rocket science. I am constrained because of my position as a Fianna Fáil Senator. I may speak on the actual amendment, but when it comes to a division of the House, I must vote in a particular way. That does not stop me, however, as a member of the Fianna Fáil Party from telling the HSE what I believe. I am appalled, incidentally, by the bonuses given to the chief executive, given that we cannot come up with some degree of originality in so far as this issue is concerned. I would say to the staff and officials who are in the House, that I cannot understand why people are reviewed for their medical cards every year when there is no need for it. Nothing new will happen within one year, general speaking, as regards a person's income. Still, he or she has to face this embarrassing medical card review, having to put his or her case every year to the community welfare officer, when circumstances have not changed. The same staff employed in this regard should be located in each county or area to assess the number of people eligible for these repayments, for better or worse.

I have strong reservations as regards the judgment of the Supreme Court, because I served in the Department as well and I felt that most people were satisfied with the payments, the charges and the services they were receiving. However, the Supreme Court does not seem to have regard for the economic situation in this country or the demands to repay this. I have a constituent who will be receiving a repayment for the last ten or 15 years. He has asked me to check his father's repayments because he was also in a home for a number of years. Between the two of them a nice little fund will be accruing to the account.

No great rocket science is involved in asking the community welfare officers and the staff dealing with medical cards to process and assess the situation and to let the Department of Health and Children, which seems to be semi-redundant because of the HSE, oversee the situation and come up with the payments required for the individuals involved. It is as simple as that, but it is ludicrous to spend €50 million on a private outside company which knows nothing about the system of operation of the former health boards, the HSE and the Department of Health and Children. I served in that Department in my capacity as chairman of the Western Health Board and as a Minister of State and I would not be giving this role to outside bodies. I see no reason for it. I make this late appeal to the Minister of State.