Vol. 503 No. 6
159 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the guidelines or advice, if any, his Department has given to health boards in relation to the services, grants and financial help they can give to parents of triplets, quads, quins and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10725/99]
My Department has no specific guidelines in relation to the provision of services to the parents of multiple birth children.
Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on means. It is open to all persons to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for a medical card if they are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves or their dependants without hardship. Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board.
Income guidelines have been drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. However these guidelines are not statutorily binding and even though a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may still be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that an applicant's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this.
Non-medical card holders are entitled to a broad range of health services including an entitlement to public hospital and public consultant treatment subject only to modest statutory charges, and to out-patient services free of charge.
There are also schemes which provide assistance towards the cost of medication. Health boards may also provide assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in circumstances where this is considered appropriate.
