Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when she will review the guidelines for medical cards in view of the increasing costs of inflation since the last review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18639/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a review of the guidelines for medical cards last took place. [18640/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

Since the beginning of 2005, the qualification guidelines for medical card eligibility have increased by a cumulative 29% (7.5% and 20% in January and October 2005 respectively).

The Programme for Government commits to the following: Indexing the income thresholds for medical cards to increases in the average industrial wage; Doubling of the income limit eligibility of parents of children under 6 years of age, and trebling them for parents of children under 18 years of age with an intellectual disability.

In conjunction with the development of a new legislative framework to provide for clear statutory provisions on eligibility for health and personal social services, my Department is reviewing the assessment criteria in the context of financial, medical and social need in line with the commitment in Towards 2016. A Steering Group has been established which is expected to complete this work in autumn 2008. It is my intention to then consider how best to progress the commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to medical card eligibility.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason old age pensioners with medical cards have to pay for a medical certificate in order to renew their driving licences; and if she will revise this policy. [18643/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The contract between the HSE and General Practitioners for the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme stipulates that fees are not paid to GPs by the HSE in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences". There are no proposals to alter this provision.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18674/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services qualify for a medical card, which entitles them to a range of health services free of charge. In 2005, the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who did not qualify for a medical card, would not be deterred on cost grounds from visiting their GP.

The assessment of eligibility for medical cards and GP visit cards is statutorily a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and, with the exception of persons aged 70 and over, who have an automatic statutory entitlement to a medical card, is determined following an examination of the means of the applicant and his/her dependants (income and relevant outgoings). The GP visit card assessment threshold is 50% higher than the medical card threshold.

As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for these benefits, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.