Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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345. To ask the Minister for Health if those who are in receipt of domiciliary care allowance are automatically entitled to a medical card; and if not, his plans to introduce measures to make this so. [7219/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I received permission from Government to draft the new Bill in December. This new legislation will effectively mean that all children in respect of whom a DCA payment is made will automatically qualify for a medical card and, therefore, no longer be subject to the medical card means test at any point in the future while in receipt of DCA. The legislation is currently being prepared and will be brought before the Oireachtas as quickly as possible.

In addition to the preparation of the legislation, I have asked the HSE, so that the proposal can be implemented in a smooth and efficient manner, to commence the process of planning for the requirements of the scheme and how the cards will issue.