Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I acknowledge the point the Senator is making, I emphasise that one does not need to be sick or be going to hospital in order to apply for a medical card. People are free to apply for medical cards on any given day and at any given time. They are encouraged to do so. Decisions are based on people's means. Many individuals make applications long before they go near a hospital or receive treatment. I have outlined the emergency procedures that allow decisions to be made within 24 hours as long as sufficient documentation is available. I am not sure that changing the entire system to accommodate perhaps two or three people who are caught in the scenario the Senator is talking about can be justified. I do not want to put a number on it.