Jimmy Deenihan
Question:90 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health if he will make medical cards available to deaf people, without means testing.
Written Answers. - Medical Cards for the Deaf.
Under the 1970 Health Act medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board, are unable without undue hardship to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants.
Income guidelines are available to assist chief executive officers in the determination of a person's eligibility and the income limits increase according to a person's age. These guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, that person may still be awarded a medical card even if the statutory criteria are not met.
While it would not be justifiable or fair to other groups, to extend the scheme to all deaf people without any regard for their means, I am satisfied that chief executive officers take a sympathetic view of applications from deaf people where their personal circumstances warrant it.