Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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18. To ask the Minister for Health if he will reverse the decision to exclude the first €50 per week of travel to work costs, the cost of home improvement loans and child care costs from allowance expenses for assessment for medical cards-general practitioner visit cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48063/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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As part of the Budget 2013 savings measures, payments on a home improvement loan and a €50 per week allowance for a car were excluded from the standard means test assessment. These changes took effect from April last.

For clarity, the exclusion from travel to work costs relates to removing the weekly amount of €50 allowed to cover standing charges, such as depreciation or other running costs, used when considering travel to work costs as an outgoing where public transport is not available or suitable and a car is required. This means that the HSE will continue to consider the standard mileage costs or public transport costs when assessing eligibility.

Expenses for childcare costs have not been excluded from the means test assessment. There are no proposals to reverse the changes introduced.