Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 3

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Liam Aylward

Question:

190 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 3 February 1998 regarding the delay in the issuing of a medical card to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 and in view of the information contained in the response from the applicant's parents, he will confirm the additional information has been received; and say when a card will issue. [3856/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Where a student applies for a medical card and his or her parents hold a medical card issued by another health board, the Eastern Health Board requests a photocopy of that medical card. I have been informed by the health board that although the board issued two letters to this effect to the person concerned, a photocopy of the medical card was not supplied to the health board.

In view of the volume of correspondence that has been generated in this case, the Eastern Health Board has contacted the relevant health board and is satisfied that the person's parents hold a medical card which is valid until July 1998. The Eastern Health Board has issued a letter to the applicant advising him that he is entitled to a medical card from the board and that it will be necessary for him to arrange for a general practitioner from the general medical service panel to sign an acceptance form. When the signed acceptance form is received a medical card valid to July 1998 will be issued.