Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the rationale for the dismantling of the local front office service throughout the Health Service Executive for the processing of medical card applications and its replacement by a centralised back office operation. [8348/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Following the change in medical card eligibility for persons aged 70 and over in the Health Act 2008, the Health Service Executive (HSE) through its Service Plan for 2009, advised the Department of its decision to centralise the processing of all medical card and GP visit card applications and renewals to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Dublin. The HSE has indicated that this decision was taken in the context of the Executive's requirements to make efficiencies in business practices that could realise savings in a very challenging economic environment and provide a modern service to the public within sustainable levels of expenditure.

I fully support the HSE's decision to centralise the processing of all medical card applications and reviews. I wrote to all Oireachtas members on 19th January 2010 outlining a range of measures being employed by the Executive to address issues arising from this initiative and I also referred to the various enhancements that this process will facilitate upon completion.