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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 3

Written Answers. - Medical Card Eligibility.

James McDaid

Question:

78 Dr. McDaid asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the feasibility in the forthcoming budget of giving a medical card to all students attending third level education away from home. [23263/96]

Limerick East): Persons aged 16 to 25, including students, who are dependants of a person who is not a medical card holder, are not normally entitled to a medical card except where they have an entitlement under EC regulations or where they are in receipt of a disabled person's maintenance allowance. The decision on whether or not a person is regarded as a dependant or as being financially independent is made by the chief executive officer of the health board on the basis of the circumstances of each individual case. Students who are financially independent are entitled to apply for a medical card in their own right and are assessed on the same income criteria as all other applicants. A student is assessed for a medical card by the health board in whose area he or she is attending college. I should also point out that when assessing the medical card entitlement of a family, the income guidelines include an allowance for each dependant and where that dependant is in full-time third level education and is not grant-aided, this allowance is doubled.

I would, of course, be anxious that every student who is in genuine need of a medical card should receive one. I believe, however, that it is best to rely on the careful consideration of individual cases by the health boards rather than to introduce a provision on the lines suggested by the Deputy.

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