John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Ó Clochartaigh about the debacle over the review of medical cards and the taking of discretionary medical cards from people. It is amusing that people are standing up and listening to Ombudsman reporting on this, while in the past three years I have repeatedly highlighted the issue of files going missing between Clontarf and Finglas. It is time to review and revisit the operation of the PCRS. I never agreed with the centralisation of the medical card system. It is absolutely appalling that the HSE can now bring in a German company to review medical cards. It has acted cynically on these issues.

It makes me laugh to see the high moral ground that has been taken by Fianna Fáil on the review of medical cards and discretionary medical cards. Let me remind the Members opposite that when they were in Government - I was a county councillor between 2004 and 2009-----