Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, commend the work of Justice for Magdalenes group. I know from speaking to the Minister of State that he and Justice for Magdalenes want what is best for the women. People have been getting hung up, as it were, on a HAA card. The HAA card was introduced under the Health (Amendment) Act specifically for people with hepatitis C. The only difference, as already outlined, is that hepatitis C sufferers get medication specific to hepatitis C. The card we are legislating for today is exactly the same apart from that specific medication for hepatitis C, even though it is not being called a HAA card. The card for which we are legislating has enhanced benefits for the Magdalen women. We are seeking to ensure that the women who went through the Magdalen laundries get the best possible treatment from the State. God knows they had the worst of times, and now is our time to redeem ourselves and make sure these women are looked after properly and will have all the services they need and require. Perhaps the card should be given a name other than just a medical card. It should be different from the ordinary medical card that the ordinary man and woman on the street would get because it will include physiotherapy, chiropody, podiatry and counselling services. The women need to know that those services are available to them under the medical card for which we legislating.