Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [42126/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding an over 70 years medical card application by persons (details supplied) in County Cork. [42140/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the average waiting times for medical card applicants in Counties Roscommon and Leitrim and the way they compare with the national average. [42160/10]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if measures aimed at reducing waiting times for medical cards, outlined in her letter to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children in August, have had a beneficial effect on medical card waiting times. [42161/10]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if one of the measures aimed at reducing waiting times for medical cards, namely that staff in local health offices will have more time and resources to meet pressing frontline needs, has been implemented. [42162/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143 and 144, inclusive, together.

The Health Service Executive (HSE), with my full support, decided to centralise the processing of all medical cards and GP visit card applications and renewals to its Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) in Dublin.

In January 2009, the PCRS took over the processing of all medical card applications for persons aged 70 or over. In September 2009, the processing of all applications from two Local Health Offices in Dublin transferred to the PCRS.

Completed applications received in the central office are being processed in 15 working days. I understand that a backlog of medical card applications has accrued in some Local Health Offices and I have asked the HSE to address this issue as a matter of urgency.

In June 2010, the HSE introduced a new website, www.medicalcard.ie, which enables people anywhere in the country to apply for a medical card through a simple and efficient on-line application process. On-line assessments are immediate and for applicants who supply all evidence/documentation and are eligible on income grounds, medical card delivery is guaranteed within 15 days of receipt of the completed application pack. The HSE has also made provision for emergency applications to be dealt with immediately. The PCRS is receiving approximately 3,000 applications each week via this new channel, with more than 50% of these being made outside normal office hours.

Significant progress has been made in this national project in providing an improved service to the public at less cost to the State. Up to 8th October 2010, the PCRS has received 211,801 medical card applications and reviews and issued 171,237 medical cards.

The next phase of the project will move the processing of all new applications to the Central Office following a consultative process with staff representatives in line with the recent agreement on pay and reform in the public service.

As the centralisation process continues, more initiatives will be introduced and the current initiatives will be further enhanced as the HSE receives feedback and continues to engage closely with advocacy groups, staff, public representatives and primary care contractors.

When the centralisation process is finalised (estimated completion date is 31st March 2011), staff in the Local Health Offices will continue to have access to the national system and will be available to help clients with enquiries about their application or review and will also be able to deal with queries of a general nature about the medical card scheme. Completion of the centralisation process will result in some Local Health Office staff being available for redeployment to the central office or key front-line services (e.g. Primary Care Teams).

As information regarding average waiting times for medical card applications in Local Health Offices is not returned to my Department as a matter of routine, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.