Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will confirm that EU nationals over the age of 70 years resident here who are entitled to medical cards under Regulation (EC) 1408/71 will continue to be entitled to medical cards irrespective of means. [38948/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Regulation (EC) 1408/71 coordinates health and social security arrangements among EU member states (it also applies in the remaining EEA member states and Switzerland). Under these provisions, people who are insured with (covered by) the healthcare system of one EU member state are entitled to receive healthcare in the public system of another member state in certain circumstances, at the cost of the member state in which they are insured. Such persons may include people who are employed in one member state and resident in another and their dependants, pensioners of one member state who reside in another and their dependants and visitors to one member state from another.

The provisions of Regulation (EC) 1408/71 supersede national eligibility provisions. Persons residing or staying in Ireland who are covered by these provisions are entitled free of charge to all medical treatment provided for by Irish legislation, where the cost of this treatment is payable by a member state other than Ireland; those residing here receive a medical card as evidence of their entitlement under the Regulation. Age is irrelevant to entitlements under the Regulation.

There has been no change to entitlements under the Regulation and therefore, no change in the position of persons of any age whose medical card is provided pursuant to these entitlements.