Vol. 492 No. 4
60 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of long-term unemployed persons who have retained their medical cards on returning to work; if he has satisfied himself that the procedure for the retention of cards is being applied in a uniform manner throughout each health board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14135/98]
The implementation of the 1996 budget provision concerning the retention of medical cards by persons who have been on the live register for at least 12 months who take up paid insurable employment and, also, to participants on approved schemes aimed at the long-term unemployed is a matter for health board chief executive officers, who have statutory responsibility for the administration of the medical card scheme.
Information of the nature sought by the Deputy is not normally held by my Department and health boards do not record such information on an ongoing basis. I am advised, however, that health boards are in the process of changing the medical card records system in a way which will enable them in the future to identify the number of long-term unemployed persons who retain their cards on taking up employment.
Since the 1996 budget provision took effect a number of problems relating to its interpretation and application in particular circumstances have come to light. The most frequent problems arise in relation to the time of commencement of the three year retention period for those moving from subsidised employment into "open" employment and in relation to persons taking up part-time employment while still signing on the live register for a few days a week. In addition, issues relating to the interpretation of the 1996 budget provision were brought to the attention of the Department by the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed, INOU, and were also raised in the context of social inclusion at a Partnership 2000 monitoring meeting in October 1997. An assurance was given that every effort would be made to ensure uniformity in the application of the provisions.
A joint Department of Health and Childrenhealth board working group has been established to clarify the guidelines on eligibility for medical cards particularly as they relate to the budget 1996 provision. It is expected that a report will be submitted to health board chief executive officers shortly for their consideration.
