John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 311: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason ileostomy bags being used by persons for the rest of their lives are not available on the long-term illness card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24809/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 324: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason ileostomy bags are not available on the long-term illness medical card just as diabetic equipment is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24872/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 325: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will provide the long-term illness card to asthma sufferers who have to pay over €85 a month for inhalers, medication and doctors visits (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24873/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 311, 324 and 325 together.

Under the 1970 Health Act, the Health Service Executive may arrange for the supply, without charge, of drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances to people with a specified condition, for the treatment of that condition, through the long-term illness scheme. The LTI scheme does not cover general practitioner fees or hospital co-payments. The conditions covered are: mental handicap, mental illness, for people under 16 only, phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, Parkinsonism, conditions arising from thalidomide and acute leukaemia. There are currently no plans to amend the list of eligible conditions.

The medical card and drugs payment schemes provide assistance towards the cost of approved drugs and medicines for people with significant ongoing medical expenses. People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. Non-medical card holders, and people with conditions not covered under the LTI, can use the DPS. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €85 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. There is a range of asthma products, such as inhalers, and ileostomy products on the common list of reimbursable products for the GMS and DPS.

Decisions on individual eligibility for a medical card are solely a matter for the Health Service Executive. In determining eligibility, for people other than those aged over 70, the applicant's financial circumstances are considered and income guidelines are used. However, where a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be granted if it is considered that medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis.

In November 2004, I announced changes in the income guidelines which will have the effect of extending full eligibility to a further 30,000 persons and provision for "doctor visit" cards to up to an extra 200,000 persons. Free access to general practitioner visits under the GMS scheme will be provided to individuals and families based on income guidelines which will be up to 25% in excess of the medical card income guidelines.