Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 February 2010
128 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health and Children the action she is taking to reduce the waiting time for medical card applications; if the Health Service Executive will temporarily employ those without work or incorporate a FÁS scheme to use the skills of those on unemployment benefit to clear the backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7445/10]
View answerI wrote to all Oireachtas members on 19th January 2010 regarding the Health Service Executive's (HSE) decision to centralise the processing of all medical card applications and reviews and I outlined a range of measures being employed by the Executive to address issues arising from this initiative and I also referred to the various enhancements that this process will facilitate upon completion. As indicated in my letter, the HSE is currently putting arrangements in place to track the time taken by each local health office to process medical card applications. I have asked the Executive for a report on this issue and upon receipt of same, I shall give further consideration to the matter.
