Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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438. To ask the Minister for Health the reason documentary evidence of savings, shares, investments and so on are required to process an application for a medical card under EU regulations when the applicant is not subject to the welfare system here and is in receipt of a UK pension (details supplied) and has provided documentary proof of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37080/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service aims to ensure that every person who is entitled to a medical card or a GP visit card is given the opportunity to avail of his or her entitlement. The HSE also has a responsibility to ensure that eligibility for services under the GMS schemes is properly assessed before being approved or refused. Medical card application forms and medical card review forms are designed with the intent of capturing all relevant information necessary to assess eligibility for a medical card.

The provisions of the relevant EU Regulations entitle a person to a Medical Card from this state if they meet all of the following requirements:

- ordinarily resident in the Republic of Ireland

- insured under the social security legislation of another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland; i.e. receiving a social security pension from that state or working and paying social insurance in that state

- not subject to Irish social security legislation. A person is subject to Irish social security legislation if s/he is receiving a contributory Irish social welfare payment or is subject to PRSI in the Irish State.

As part of the assessment process it is not necessary for an individual to provide evidence of shares and investments. In completing an application for a medical card it is necessary to furnish information on wages and pensions, if applicable, in order for the HSE to determine if such income is subject to PRSI. An application for eligibility for a medical card under EU regulations must also furnish details of social welfare payments from the EU state with a confirmation letter from the awarding authority and an E121/SI form. Under the bi-lateral agreement with the UK, no E-form is required and the applicant must provide proof that they are in receipt of a qualifying payment from the UK authorities, i.e. a UK social security pension.