Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that considerable work has been done in the area of medical cards but there are still concerns. I outlined to the Minister of State, the details being sought by the HSE prior to it making a decision on the awarding of an emergency medical card. Therefore, what he said in that respect is misinformation. It is tough enough for people who are suffering with cancer or who have other illnesses and who are trying to manage their illnesses without having to fight with the HSE to get their entitlements. People's applications for medical card, whose incomes are only €2 or €3 over the threshold for qualification for a medical card, are being refused on a regular basis. Some leniency needs to be shown but that is not happening. I firmly believe that there are people who are genuinely entitled to a medical card but their applications are being refused because their income is slightly over the threshold. However, the issue of emergency medical cards needs to be addressed. I compliment the medical card section of the HSE on the granting for medical cards for those in palliative care. Those medical cards are processed within 24 hours. I know that because I have secured several for people. However, emergency medical card applications are dealt with similarly to normal medical card applications and that is unacceptable.