John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Government's move to address the discretionary medical card issue. As Senator MacSharry rightly pointed out, I have spent two years highlighting the matter in the House with various Ministers, but to no avail. All I ever received in response was the claim that we did not have the money. In itself, this was an acknowledgement that the Government was aware of what was happening. I have been fighting for individual cases with the Primary Care Reimbursement Service, PCRS, for two years. It has been my greatest struggle since entering the House. Despite being a community welfare officer who dealt with medical cards for 28 years, I have dealt with more contentious cases since becoming a Senator three years ago.

The announcement was confusing. We do not know who will have their medical cards returned, whether the financial assessment will be removed or whether people will only be assessed on their medical needs. We need clarity. My mother left hospital last Friday and her consultant changed her medication. She is 86 years of age. She went to the chemist to get her new medication last Friday, only to be told her medical card had been removed. There had been no correspondence from the PCRS, be it a review form or a notification of any description. Perhaps not today, but the Minister should attend the House as soon as possible for a debate to provide clarity on what will be happening.