Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average time it takes to process medical card applications in the centralised service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10542/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Health Service Executive, with my full support, has decided to centralise the processing of all medical card and GP visit card applications and renewals at its Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Dublin.

The process commenced in January 2009 when the PCRS took over the processing of all medical card applications for persons aged 70 or over.

The second phase commenced in September 2009 with the transfer of the case load from two local health offices in Dublin (Dublin North West and Dublin Central) to the PCRS.

The HSE has advised that when fully implemented, the initiative to centralise the processing of all medical card and GP visit card applications and renewals will ensure improved turnaround times for processing of applications: under the new arrangements the HSE will be aiming for a turnaround time of 15 working days or less, with provision for emergency applications to be dealt with immediately.

The PCRS currently has responsibility for about 337,500 medical card clients aged 70 and over and over 90,000 medical card clients from the two local health offices, who qualified for their medical card under the general medical card scheme. This brings the total medical card population currently under PCRS management to 427,500, which represents almost 29% of the total medical card population (1,486,084).

The most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE show that in 2009, the PCRS processed over 72,000 medical card applications. This included nearly 42,000 reviews. In relation to these reviews, 85% of cases where the required information was supplied were completed within 20 days and 95% within 30 days. The HSE has no control over delays where relevant information is not provided but it has confirmed that when the required information is received, the review is processed without further delay.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide a medical card to those who suffer from motor neurone disease as a right; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10431/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide a medical card to those who have been affected by thalidomide as a right; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10432/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 80 together.

At present, medical cards are granted primarily on the basis of means and individual circumstances. Under the Health Act, 2004, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. The HSE has discretion, in cases of exceptional need, to provide assistance to individuals where undue hardship would otherwise be caused.

I have no plans to provide for the granting of medical cards to any particular group as a whole. However, my Department is currently reviewing the eligibility criteria for medical cards with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible, taking into account financial and medical need.