Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the suggestion by the leader of the Opposition regarding the medical cards issue. The review of medical cards is unnecessary and I have made my view clear on this matter. Such a review gives a very false and misleading impression. As recently as yesterday evening at the Joint Committee on Health, representatives from one organisation alleged that the number of medical cards was reduced by 10%. Such a reduction in the number of medical cards would see 190,000 cards withdrawn. That is not the position. In fact, the number of medical cards has increased by 12.5% since 2011. However, the review of medical cards is causing unnecessary alarm. My argument is that if four out of 100 medical cards are withdrawn because of the change in the criteria, the unfortunate problem created is that the 96 people who retain their cards are convinced that someone tried to take their cards from them. I do not believe the current review is doing anything for anyone and it is not doing anything for the provision of health services.

If I may say to the leader of the Opposition I was surprised to find that when we visited the PCRS in Finglas last week, there was no representative from Fianna Fáil.