Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What is happening is scaremongering. People are frightened and are phoning their public representatives to inquire about their situation. In the vast majority of cases they will not be impacted.

I welcome the fact that over the past two years the Department has been corresponding with people to determine if they still require the card and if they are eligible for it. There were huge abuses of the scheme due to the failure to cross check between social welfare, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Health. Indeed, politicians must take some of the blame too. They were complicit in securing medical cards for people who were not eligible for them. The full facts were not being declared and medical cards were being given out like sweets. Some people appeared to be able to manipulate the system and get a medical card, while somebody with comparable means living next door was unable to get a medical card. Obviously, the full story was not disclosed by many applicants over the years.

The reality we must address today is the gap of approximately ¤1.2 billion per month between income and expenditure. There is no painless way of bridging that gap. However, when cuts are made we must ensure that the most vulnerable are protected and that those who are in a position to shoulder more of the burden are asked to do so. It is fair that a person with an income of over ¤600 per week and a couple with an income of over ¤1,200 per week should be treated somewhat differently from somebody on a very low income and possibly depending solely on the State old age pension. It is clear that only people who are quite well off will be impacted by these changes. However, we must be conscious of the middle income families who are really stretched to pay mortgages and educate their families. They are hit by every new tax and charge and in many cases will probably not qualify for a medical card because the gross income figure is used to assess eligibility.

I ask the Minister to keep an eye on the administration of the medical card system. Many of us have great difficulty getting answers and also in getting through the appeals system, which appears to be slow and cumbersome. I encountered a case recently in which somebody's file was supposed to have been sent from Dublin to Donegal for review, but it appeared to take almost three months before the file eventually reached its destination. The appeals system is taking too long. That must be examined.

I wish the Minister well in his efforts to achieve savings and to tackle the inefficiencies in the Department. Senator Crown gave him some very valuable advice. The Minister should examine the situation with the cost of drugs and deal with the many inefficiencies that remain within the HSE system. At a time when resources are scarce we must do everything possible to target those resources at the most needy in our society. This Bill will not impact too severely on any member of our community. I believe the modest adjustments being made will be accepted by most right thinking people who want to see our country back on its feet again, people back at work and resources being spent where they are most needed.