Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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483. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to abolish prescription charges for persons who are medical card holders and are inpatients and residents of nursing homes, in view of the fact that this charge represents an unfair burden to patients who already pay 80% of their eligible income towards their stay, which would not apply if they were inpatients in ordinary hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3085/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to reduce the cost of medicines by reducing the annual co-payment on the Drugs Payment Scheme and reducing prescription charges for medical card holders.

Under Budget 2017, the prescription charge for medical card holders aged 70 and over will be reduced this year. This reduction will also apply to residents of nursing homes who are 70 or older.

I will continue to examine opportunities to address the cost of the charge to patients, having regard to the funding available.