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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Jun 1974

Vol. 273 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Card Eligibility.

3.

asked the Minister for Health if he will revise the conditions in respect of eligibility for medical cards.

The statutory requirement for eligibility is that it would be an undue hardship on a person to arrange general practitioner services for himself and his dependants. The determination of a particular applicant's eligibility is a function of the appropriate chief executive officer. By agreement between the chief executive officers common guidelines were introduced last January when income levels were last revised. These revisions by the chief executive officers normally take place annually.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that conditions for eligibility are unrealistic having regard to the cost of living at present?

As I stated in my reply, this is a function for the chief executive officer of the appropriate health authority. When common guidelines were adopted it was also decided that annual reviews of the realistic situation would take place.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware, although the Minister for Health and the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries directed differently, that they are still picking up the warble fly certificates of small farmers in the Western Health Board to test whether they should get a health card? Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that despite the fact that I had a question put to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, who said he was unaware of this, the Minister for Health in reply to a similar question said he was aware of it?

As far as I am aware the question of eligibility is one for the CEO of each health board and for the boards themselves.

Does the Minister give a direction? At the moment the figure for a man and wife is £20, which is unrealistic.

At the moment there is a uniform guideline throughout the country. That was not the position previously. It was done through action by the Tánaiste.

Do I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to have said that all health boards have the authority to revise the eligibility conditions each year?

They have the authority to review annually.

Do they have to request permission if they want to increase the limit?

Sanction from the Minister would be required.

Has any such request been made?

No, not as far as I am aware.

I want to inform the Deputy as a member of a health board who have already made application——

Is he aware of the fact that we in the Mid-West Health Board have already made application for a review because of the high standard of living obtaining today?

The Deputy must not have passed it to the Parliamentary Secretary.

There is no specific question of this nature addressed to me. As I said to Deputy Briscoe, I am not aware of any such application.

I thought the Parliamentary Secretary said "No".

I said "No, not as far as I am aware".

The Deputy now has to cover for Deputy Coughlan.

We divided you by half in Limerick—we took 50 per cent of the seats from you. Give us "three cheers".

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