asked the Minister for Health the number of recipients of non-contributory old age pensions, non-contributory widows' pensions and unemployment assistance who were refused medical cards in County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Medical Cards.
4.
I am informed by the North Western Health Board that no recipient of a non-contributory old age pension or of a non-contributory widows' pension has been refused a medical card in County Donegal.
I am also informed by the North Western Health Board that in County Donegal in the period 1st January to 31st October, 1973, a total of 110 persons in receipt of unemployment assistance were refused medical cards.
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether the yardstick indicated by the refusal in this case is general throughout the country or whether it is a yardstick that, in his mind, can usefully be used or fairly used because it seems to be totally at variance with what we are led to believe——
The Deputy is broadening the subject matter of the question on a national basis. This question refers to Donegal.
Surely how the matter is treated in the rest of the country is relevant from the point of view of how Donegal is treated.
This question is confined to Donegal.
Certainly. Then may I rephrase my question?
The Deputy may not circumvent the ruling of the Chair.
I am not in the slighest degree attempting to do so and I cannot understand why the Chair should so choose to proceed. I have not even asked the question, so the Chair can scarcely indicate whether I have circumvented his ruling or attempted to do so.
We shall see.
On the basis of the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary, may I ask the Parliamentary Secretary in respect of the applicants in County Donegal whether he considers it fair and just that people in these categories, no matter how few, should be refused medical cards by the North Western Health Board?
In reply to the Deputy, might I say that the yardstick used in Donegal is in conformity with that used throughout the country.
Might I now ask the question I asked a moment ago? Is the refusal of any number, no matter how few, regarded as fair? I understood that these people, if they were receiving unemployment assistance or non-contributory pensions, were medical card holders almost by right. Is that the case or is it not?
In reply to the Deputy, many people get unemployment assistance in Donegal who have other incomes, substantial incomes, in many cases.
Arising out of that reply, surely the Parliamentary Secretary is not now saying that they are, in fact, being treated better than the rest of the country in regard to unemployment assistance—that they have substantial incomes and are also drawing unemployment assistance. Either they are entitled to the one or——
We cannot debate this matter all afternoon. I am calling Question No. 5.
Surely this is directly related. This is a very important matter. Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary has misinformed me unintentionally. There are UA people in Donegal with substantial salaries who have been disregarded for medical cards: is that what the Parliamentary Secretary said?
As I have already told the Deputy, the people in Donegal are treated in the same way as the people in the rest of the country.
A Cheann Comhairle——
We really must pass on. I have given a great deal of latitude.
But this is very important. Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, may I ask him are we to take it that persons in receipt of unemployment assistance are themselves in receipt of substantial weekly incomes? Is that what he is telling the House?
Some of them are.
How then can they qualify for unemployment assistance in those circumstances?
It is well the Deputy knows.
Does the Deputy not remember when he tried to stop it?
This is a cheap way of depriving people of medical cards. It is an extraordinary statement.