Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Eamonn Coghlan on the work he has done during the past year. As the Senator indicated, he went away and did this work quietly. Ireland currently lies 23rd in the league of nations regarding the amount of physical education children receive on a weekly basis. I have no doubt, in light of the work being done by Senator Eamonn Coghlan, that we will begin to move up the table and eventually enter the top ten.

The other issue to which I wish to refer is carers. On 3 July last the Carers Association made a pre-budget submission to Oireachtas Members in the audio-visual room. A number of issues arose as a result of that submission. I met carers from Tipperary, led by their manager, Richie Molloy, last week in order to discuss those issues. The main matter of concern to them is that despite the HSE instructing GPs not to charge for blood tests, in some areas patients with medical cards are still being charged €20 for such tests. I request that the Leader ask the Minister for Health to issue an instruction to the effect that this practice should be brought to a halt immediately. It is not HSE policy and it should not be done. There is no transparency whatsoever with regard to how home-care packages for carers are being assessed. There are no criteria available to carers and, therefore, whether a package is approved depends on the humour of the person making the assessment on the relevant day.

My final point in this regard relates to the fact that, as matters currently stand, people with medical cards are being charged €1.50 per item on each prescription they bring to their pharmacists. Carers are requesting that a flat rate should apply. Many carers bring prescriptions listing up to seven or eight items required by the family member for whom they are caring to their pharmacists. Some may be required to go to the doctor twice a month in order to obtain repeat prescriptions. They are requesting that the existing system be scrapped and that a flat rate should apply in respect of all prescriptions. I ask the Leader to pursue these issues. We are in pre-budget mode but that which I have requested is not too much to ask for carers throughout the country who look after loved ones.