Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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816. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the provision of medical cards to all persons in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance as set out in A Programme for a partnership Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19310/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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969. To ask the Minister for Health when children under 16 years of age who are in receipt of domiciliary care allowance will be entitled to full medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19871/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 816 and 969 together.

The Health (Amendment) Act 2017 was signed by the President on 31st March 2017. This Act will enable the granting of full eligibility for general practitioner and other health services to all children in respect of whom a Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is paid. Granting a medical card to all children in respect of whom a DCA payment is made will benefit approximately 9,800 children in this cohort who do not currently qualify for a medical card.

Pre-registration with the HSE for the DCA medical card will be available from 1st May 2017. This can be done on-line or paper-based. These medical cards will be certified for use from 1st June 2017.

For a child in receipt of DCA but who currently does not have a medical card, the parent or guardian will register for the scheme either online or through a paper-based form. For a child who is currently eligible for a medical card (under discretion or otherwise) and is confirmed to be in receipt of DCA, the HSE will automatically issue them a medical card. For a child who is currently eligible for a GP Visit Card (under discretion or otherwise), this card will automatically be upgraded to a full medical card.