Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2024
218. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the analysis undertaken to establish the number of survivors who may be entitled to an enhanced medical card pursuant to the Survivors of Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 already in possession of a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20714/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Bill provides that enhanced medical cards will be made available to survivors who received an award of redress from the Residential Institutions Redress Board, or a similar court award or settlement. As the Deputy will be aware, the Redress Board operated on a confidential basis and therefore my Department does not have detailed information or data relating to those who will be eligible for the enhanced medical card.
However, a study undertaken on behalf of Caranua in 2015 found that more than half of survivors were living in the most disadvantaged 20% of areas in Ireland. For that reason, it is assumed that, in general, the proportion of survivors who hold a medical card is higher than that for the population as a whole. The Department’s working estimate is that 60% of survivors aged 45-64, 70% of survivors aged 65-69, and 95% of survivors aged over 70 hold a medical card.
