Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 4

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

214 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if the request made by his Department to a person (details supplied) in his capacity as chairman of the Health Board Chief Executive Officers Group on 24 January 2002, requesting that medical card holders should not lose their cards due to increases in social welfare rates announced in the 2002 budget, related only to the year 2002; if the same rule applies to social welfare increases in 2003; if a similar request was made in 2003; if so, when and to whom this was communicated; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13134/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Initially, my Department wrote to the chairman of the Health Board Chief Executive Officers Group on 24 January 2002 requesting that medical card holders should not lose their cards because of increases in social welfare rates announced in the budget. My Department again wrote to the chairman on 6 February 2002 requesting that every effort be made to ensure that both medical card holders and applicants be made fully aware that increases in social welfare payments would not disadvantage them when applying to hold or retain a medical card. In response, the chief executive officers confirmed that social welfare recipients would not be disadvantaged.

On 31 October last, my Department again wrote to the chairman of the chief executive officers group reiterating the above and this policy remains unchanged.