asked the Minister for Health if he will exclude pensions and allowances payable in respect of service in the War of Independence from assessment under the Health Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Medical Cards.
9.
Eligibility for health services, and in particular full eligibility, is related to the ability of the person concerned to pay for these services. It would be contrary to this principle and to the legislation governing eligibility to disregard one or more sources of income in assessing eligibility.
I should add that persons who are in receipt of special allowances arising from the War of Independence have passed a qualifying means test and probably have full eligibility for health services. Military Service Pensions, on the other hand, are given without a means test and the fact that a person is in receipt of such a pension is no indication of whether or not he is eligible for health services.
Would the Minister not agree, in view of the fact that there are very few people who were involved in the War of Independence still alive, that this is a reasonable request by Deputy Gogan?
If one were to talk about a minority of people who might be allowed into the general eligibility scheme, there are quite a number of these sections. There are 15,200 who are in receipt of special allowances and military service pensions. There are 10,400 who have special allowances. They have undergone a means test through the Department of Defence and there is no reason why I should not assume that this 10,400 people are eligible at present for medical service cards. In regard to pensions, the maximum pension is about £2,000 which would be beyond the limit of eligibility for a medical service card.
Were similar provisions not made under the Social Welfare Acts?
Yes, I think there are concessions given in respect of some of these allowances from the Department of Defence but I do not see that any special case can be made for a limited number of people who are in receipt of pensions. Again, as I have said, as far as special allowances are concerned, the vast majority of them have them in any case. I do not think the Deputy would suggest, in accordance with the guidelines, no matter what he might think of them, that a single person with £2,000 a year, should be entitled to a medical service card.
10.
asked the Minister for Health why a married man (details supplied) with two children, who is in receipt of unemployment assistance has been refused a medical card by the North Western Health Board.
The decision on whether or not this applicant is entitled to a medical card is one for the chief executive officer of the North Western Health Board. I am informed that the application was recently refused but that the case is being reviewed. I will communicate the outcome to the Deputy.
In view of the Minister's stated policy regarding the recipients of unemployment assistance, where there is a very low means test, could he ensure that not alone in respect of the North Western Health Board but in respect of all the others, these applications would automatically be granted? Would the Minister not agree that this is ridiculous. Over a year ago this man, in the circumstances in which he is in today, applied for a medical card, was refused, and had to go to the trouble of asking for a review which has not taken place yet. He is over a year waiting for a medical card. The Minister in the House stated that all those who were in receipt of benefits such as this man has were entitled to automatically get medical cards.
In 99 per cent of the cases, yes. The Deputy raised this question on several occasions. As far as my information is concerned, he visited the local officers of the health board recently and was informed that the programme manager was reviewing this case. I think the same person is referred to, though not by name, in the next question. I invite the Deputy to talk to me personally about this. I do not want to prevent this man getting a medical card.
Not about this case.
I may be entirely wrong.
The Minister is.
Question No. 11.
In respect of this particular case I do not want to disclose information in the House.
I am not asking the Minister to.
No, but if the Deputy would come and see me personally I would be prepared to talk to him about this. In the first place the health board have the obligation to decide whether or not a person is eligible for a medical card. There may be some element of doubt as to whether or not he has any other income.
Is the Minister saying it is a reasonable time to eliminate any element of doubt when a period of one year has elapsed? Surely it is the Minister's Department who adjudicated on this man's eligibility for unemployment assistance? If that adjudication is wrong, then it should be remedied. Having had such an adjudication by the Minister's other Department, surely as Minister for Health he should ensure that that adjudication is acceptable to all regional health authorities?
As I say, in 99.9 per cent of the cases, yes, when a person has undergone a means test for some social assistance benefit that person is automatically entitled to a medical card.
Does the Minister know of instances of the other 1 per cent in receipt of unemployment assistance who are not in receipt of medical cards?
I am afraid we must pass on from this question. I have allowed quite some lattitude.
Could the Minister tell me in the case of the 1 per cent of which he is aware——
I must call the next question. We must pass on. Question No. 11.
Nearly 100 per cent of those who qualify for social assistance would automatically be entitled to medical cards.
Does the Minister know of instances where they are not in receipt of them?
I must call the next question.
Does the Minister know of cases where they did not qualify?
The Chair has called the next question.
The Deputy must be aware——
Is the Chair to be obeyed?
I would, again like to invite the Deputy to come to see me.
Is the Chair to be obeyed? Question No. 11.
A Deputy
The Minister should do what he is told by the Chair.
11.
asked the Minister for Health the annual income figure of a person (name supplied) in County Donegal which prevented the granting of a medical card to himself and his family by the North Western Health Board.
The decision on whether or not an individual is entitled to a medical card is one for the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. The information sought by the Deputy is not available in my Department. The Deputy will appreciate also that information of this kind given by an individual to a health board is confidential and could not be disclosed without the individual's consent.
If the Minister is not able to give the information, although I can assure him I have the individual's consent, would he find the information for me?
If, as I said in my reply, the individual's consent is given.
Must the Minister have it in writing?
I would want to have everything in writing from the Deputy.
I will get it for the Minister.
Can the Minister state if there are any guidelines in his Department that he sends to CEOs of health boards?
That is a separate question.
It is related.
The question asked relates to County Donegal. I cannot allow the Deputy to broaden the subject matter of the question. I cannot allow it to be put on a national basis. Question No. 12.
When a question is put to me and there is an inference in it that I do not want to answer it——
I want the Minister to answer it.
With the Ceann Comhairle's permission.
The Chair has ruled it is bringing in new matter. It is a separate question. Question No. 12.
There are national guidelines.
Will the Minister have them reviewed?
They were reviewed at the beginning of the year. I said in this House they can be made available to any Member.