Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I am about to finish and appreciate the Cathaoirleach's leniency. When I telephoned the medical card helpline recently to protest about the delay in dealing with a client the person at the end of the line, who did not give me a name, informed me there were people on palliative care who had been waiting for a medical card since July 2011. It was as if this in some way justified the level of mediocrity people have been forced to accept. I ask the Leader to address this issue.