Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to raise the important issue of medical cards. This Chamber could do a service to the people of the country by asking the Minister to come in here for a non-partisan debate on medical cards where we could put information into the public domain in order that people would realise the circumstances and the criteria on which medical cards are or are not allocated. There is a great deal of misinformation and a lack of knowledge and by putting such information into the public domain, we could do the public a service. There is no point having such a debate if we are all going to have a go at the Minister. I have major concern about the savings figure that has been given to the Minister by the Government, which, as we note from reports, is €113 million. It will become obvious early in the analysis whether that €113 million in savings will be achieved. If it will not be achieved, it should be recognised and that figure taken off the page. In terms of whatever savings figure is achieved in the analysis, account must taken of people who will not have medical cards who should have them and those who do not meet the criteria but are very close to doing so. The discretion that was available to grant cards on what were described as "humanitarian grounds" should be used. I refer to people who are sick or unwell who are close to but just exceed the income thresholds. If we go down the route of being cold and objective in determining that an applicant either meets or does not meet the criteria, it would be a retrograde step for the delivery of health care in our society.