Vol. 473 No. 4
157 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health if he will respond in a positive way to the campaign by the Union of Students in Ireland regarding the right to a medical card for thirdlevel students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1208/97]
Limerick East): Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of medical card entitlement is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board.
Under arrangements currently in place persons aged 16 to 25, including students, who are dependants of a person who is not a medical card holder, are not normally entitled to a medical card except where they have an entitlement under EU regulations or where they are in receipt of a disabled person's maintenance allowance. Students who are financially independent are entitled to apply for a medical card in their own right and are assessed on the same income criteria as all other applicants. The decision on whether or not a person is regarded as a dependant or as being financially independent is made by the chief executive officer of the health board on the basis of the circumstances of each individual case.
It is open to all persons, be they parents or students, to apply to the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board for health services if they are unable to provide these services for themselves or their dependants without hardship. I am satisfied that health boards give sympathetic consideration to applications from, or on behalf of, students when the circumstances warrant it.
