Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Regardless of my level of disappointment with it, I thank the Minister of State for the information provided. Everyone is aware that the HSE is both a monster out of control and a bureaucratic nightmare. The Government is intent on creating a second monster. Processing the applications of 1.4 million people at one call centre in Dublin does not make sense.

I recently spoke to Cora Harvey, a Sinn Féin councillor who lives in Ballybofey, who indicated to me that the people in the office there understand the needs of those throughout Donegal who possess medical cards. I do not understand how staff in an office in Dublin who will be obliged to deal with over 1.4 million people will be positioned to operate in the same way. For those who live in rural areas, the office in Dublin might as well be located in Timbuktu or China. It does not make sense to centralise the service to Dublin and I am of the view that the office here will not be efficient.

The call centre or hub in Dublin currently deals with medical card holders who are over 70 years of age and misses an average of 350 calls per week.