Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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622. To ask the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing a medical card for all children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance. [26734/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government states "We will extend the entitlement to a medical card for all children in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) in Budget 2017. Approximately 10,000 children will benefit from this initiative". In early June, I met with representatives of Our Children's Health. At that meeting, and in the debate on the Private Members Motion on the 19 July 2016, I reaffirmed the Government's commitment in its Programme to providing medical cards to all children that qualify for the DCA.

I also confirmed that this commitment was a priority for me in the upcoming budget discussions. Detailed financial analysis is currently being conducted in order to establish as accurately as possible the expected costs to the Exchequer in each case. Subject to the required resources being secured in the upcoming budget negotiations, primary legislation will be required to give effect to this measure and it is my objective to have this prepared and brought to the Oireachtas as quickly as possible after the Budget.