asked the Minister for Health if he will state what arrangements are made by the Wexford County Council to provide dispensary services for an unemployed person who, if he were in employment, would not be entitled to a medical service card according to the means test applied.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wexford Dispensary Services.
23.
This question is properly one for answer by the Wexford County Council. However, I have had enquiries made from the Council and I understand that the position is as follows.
Every application for a medical card whether it is a new application or from a person who has already been refused a card, is first examined by the Assistance Officer. He furnishes a report and recommendation to the County Manager for a decision. The time taken between making the application and issuing or refusing a medical card depends on what enquiries have to be made into the circumstances of the applicant but is normally seven to ten days. If, however, the applicant is in immediate need of medical attention, he is issued with a direction which entitles him, or any of his dependents, to a general practitioner service either in his own home or at the appropriate dispensary. The direction remains in force for one month unless it is previously cancelled by the health authority or by the person who issued it.
If the application is from a person who is temporarily unemployed and the County Council is satisfied that the unemployment is total, the Council issues a medical card which remains in force for a limited period, after which it may be renewed if circumstances warrant it. If, before the expiry of that period, the Council becomes aware that the person's circumstances have improved, e.g. due to renewed employment, so as to render him ineligible to hold a medical card, the card is then withdrawn.
The Minister said that in some cases it takes between seven and 10 days for a local authority or county manager to make up their mind as to whether or not a card should be issued. I am sure he is not aware of the fact that in many cases it has taken three or four months for a manager to make up his mind as to whether or not a card should be issued.
I think the Deputy did not fully appreciate what I said. I said that it is normally seven to 10 days. There may be circumstances in which, of course, a deep investigation may have to be made into an applicant's means. That necessarily involves delay.
I think there is undue delay.
There may be.
May we take it that if a man with a wife and, say, three children becomes unemployed and is unemployed for three or four weeks, and finds it necessary during that period to have treatment in hospital, a provisional medical card would be issued to him so as to enable him to have treatment in hospital on the basis of the medical card?
Yes, provided the person to whom he applies is satisfied that, in fact, he is in need of immediate medical attention and that his circumstances will not permit——
I take it the Minister will agree that if the man had no wages during the period of unemployment he would be clearly a case in which it was contemplated that a medical card should issue?
Not at all. A person might have no wages during a period of unemployment and might have £1,000 in the bank.
The Minister must have queer friends if he imagines that an ordinary road-worker would have £1,000 in the bank. That is a new one.
Is the decision not usually based on the yearly income, that is to say, if a man had £10 a week and he became unemployed for one month the county manager would have regard to his earnings over a whole year and entirely disregard the fact that the man was actually unemployed for a month during which he had no income?
A man is supposed to make some sort of provision for his future and for contingencies like illness if he is in constant employment at a fairly good wage.
He may have five or six in family.
What road-worker has a good wage?
We are not talking about road-workers. We are talking about any person.
The Minister does not know what he is talking about.
I am sorry the Deputy's intelligence is so low.