Fergus O'Dowd
Question:130 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a chronic illness, for example, motor neurone disease, should not grant automatic entitlement to a medical card. [31745/03]
Written Answers. - Medical Cards.
No persons other than those aged 70 years and over are automatically entitled to a medical card, as all applications are considered on their individual merits. The determination of the eligibility of an applicant to a medical card is, by legislation, a matter for the chief executive officer of the local health board. All applications are assessed on income and medical needs grounds and should be made to the local health board for processing.