Magdalen Laundries

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 March 2015

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Questions (542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551)

Joan Collins

Question:

542. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when the Magdalen survivors will receive their enhanced medical cards. [11582/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

543. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the application process for the enhanced medical cards for Magdalen survivors. [11583/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

544. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when the Magdalen survivors will receive a guide to their enhanced medical card. [11584/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

545. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if a complaints and appeals process will be put in place for Magdalen survivors availing of the enhanced medical card scheme. [11589/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

546. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if his Department will contact all general practitioners, public and private, hospitals and other relevant health service providers of Magdalen survivors entitlements under the enhanced medical card. [11590/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

547. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure that Magdalen survivors do not have to resolve any difficulties with the enhanced medical card scheme or explain their entitlements to health care professionals. [11591/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

548. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when health care services do not have the facility to record enhanced medical cards, if cardholders will be reimbursed in the same manner as Health (Amendment) Act cardholders. [11593/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

549. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made on the administrative arrangements for Magdalen survivors living overseas. [11598/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

550. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the Health Service Executive has contacted the health service providers in each of the countries where Magdalen survivors are known to be living. [11599/15]

Joan Collins

Question:

551. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health if guides will be made available to Magdalen survivors living overseas to assist them in understanding their entitlements under the administrative arrangements. [11600/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 542 to 551, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014 has completed its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was enacted on 18 March 2015. The purposes of the legislation are to provide for a range of primary and community health services to be made available without charge to a person who was resident in a specified institution and who has accepted a formal offer made to her by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the ex gratia payments scheme; to provide that such women will not be required to pay the statutory charge for public in-patient services in a public acute hospital; and, to ensure that the ex-gratia payments will not be included in the financial assessment of means under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009.

My Department has advised the HSE on the arrangements to be put in place so that the services and measures provided for in the legislation - and the administrative arrangements in respect of persons residing outside Ireland - can be put into effect immediately the legislation becomes operative.

The HSE will decide on the practical arrangements, such as a type of card, to be put in place in order to ensure that the women can easily demonstrate their eligibility for services under the Act and also to be fully apprised of their health entitlements.