Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, and thank him for taking the Adjournment debate. A few days ago I was contacted by a mother who recently learned that her son's medical card was to be removed with effect from 30 November 2013. We have had many debates on medical cards but this case is important to highlight as it is affecting many other families with children who have special needs.

The boy in question is two years of age and has had a medical card since he was three months old. He was born in 2011. The medical card was up for review last month and the family's means were deemed too great to be granted the continuation of their son's medical card. This family has yet to receive the letter withdrawing the medical card but I contacted the Department of Health and was told their son's medical card has been withdrawn and that a letter was sent to the family on 25 November.

The child in question has a very serious condition, hydrocephalus, for which he has a shunt. He cannot walk, talk or feed himself. He attends numerous doctors and specialists including neurosurgeons, specialists in eye clinics, paediatricians, dietician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech and language therapist. As evidenced by this list, this child's level of care and intervention needs are very high and would be a substantial financial burden on this family were it not for the medical card. For example, last May he needed his shunt reviewed and it was discovered that he required immediate brain surgery which cost thousands of euro. Additional costs include medication such as the anti-seizure medication he needs to take regularly, the specialist shoes and splints that cost hundreds of euro and the specialist equipment required to aid him in sitting and standing and encourage him to walk.

On paper this family might appear to be able to cope with the financial burden of a chid with substantial special needs but reality tends to be much different from what is assessed on paper. In the coming months this family will welcome a new little brother or sister to their family, which will add to the pressures they already experience. I cannot help but believe this young child will regress without the appropriate level of support provided by the medical card. It is because the State has provided a medical card for this young boy that he has achieved all he has to date. If the medical card is taken from him we would do him a major disservice and send the wrong message to the family. The boy's mother is distraught at the thought of losing the medical card. While she understands the family might be above the financial threshold, the cost they would pay for services for their son greatly outweighs their income.

This opens up the wider area of medical card discretion for children with significant special needs. I have addressed the Minister on this before. This mother, like other mothers of children with special needs, must fight to get the services she needs for her child. The withdrawal of the medical card is an added burden. She said she would be better off leaving her job and going on social protection because she would then be eligible for the medical card. I cannot understand that logic when we want people working and being able to provide the best for their children.

I plead with the Minister to examine this particular case and the wider issue of discretionary medical cards.

Every case is completely separate. The expenses I have outlined do not take into consideration other child care costs if there is a new addition to the family. This child and family desperately need the medical card to provide the best outcome for the child in question.