asked the Minister for Health if he will give the normal income which (a) a single man, (b) a married man with no family and (c) a married man with one child can earn and be entitled to a medical service card.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Card Entitlement.
85.
The determination of eligibility for a medical card is a matter for the appropriate health authority and there is no statutory level of income which automatically entitles a person to a card.
Health authorities are required by section 14 of the Health Act, 1953, to provide general medical services for persons "who are unable, by their own industry or other lawful means" to provide these services for themselves or their dependants.
In carrying out this statutory obligation health authorities take into account family responsibilities, and, generally, other factors such as rent or medical expenses.
Surely the Minister will agree that there is a rule of thumb which has been applied to this sort of thing over the years and that his predecessor in the White Paper announced that it was intended to set down definite figures? Have the Department of Health not made an effort to work towards preparing those figures? Is he aware that the greatest cause of discontent in many a workingclass home is the fact that the people in that home, though they believe they are entitled to a medical card, cannot have free medical treatment while their neighbour, who has a lot more than they have, has a card and can get free medical treatment when required? Would the Minister not make an attempt to remedy this situation? Legislation is not needed. Has the Minister any comment?
No.
He would rather leave it the way it is so that there can be an accusation of string pulling in the issue of medical cards which will get all over the place.