Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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608. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the health card, as recommended in the Magdalen commission report and agreed to in full by the then Government, has not been fulfilled or honoured; if matters can be expedited for the introduction of a HAA card along the lines of the health card given to those in the 1990s who contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products. [31222/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme was established in 2013 by the Department of Justice and Equality on foot of the recommendations contained in the Magdalen Commission Report.

Women who qualify under the Ex-Gratia Scheme are eligible to access a range of health services in Ireland in accordance with the recommendations of the Magdalen Commission Report.  These services were agreed by the then Government and were subsequently legislated for by the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Act 2015 (RWRCI Act).  The eligible women receive a 2015A card from the HSE, which identifies the holder as qualifying for the services provided for in the RWRCI Act 2015.  The range of primary and community health services available under the Act are as follows:

- general practitioner, medical and surgical services

- acute inpatient services

- drugs, medicines and surgical appliances

- nursing services

- home help services

- dental, ophthalmic and aural services

- counselling services

- chiropody Services

- physiotherapy services

The RWRCI Act provides a statutory basis to more services than the medical card, e.g., this includes services such as physiotherapy, chiropody, counselling, home help and are holders of the 2015A Card which is exempt from prescription charges.

Finally, it should be noted that the healthcare services provided for under the Health Amendment Act 1996 are specifically available to persons who contracted Hepatitis C through the administration within the State of contaminated blood and blood products.