Vol. 496 No. 7
187 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) has been refused a medical card; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this person has no access to urgent dental care as a result of this decision. [24202/98]
Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on means and the legal responsibility, under the Health Act, 1970, for the determination of eligibility for medical cards is with the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Medical cards are issued to those who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship.
I, as Minister for Health and Children, do not have a function in the issue of medical cards to individuals. However, I am advised by the Eastern Health Board that residents in long stay care units are not issued with medical cards and patients admitted to their care forego their medical card entitlements. The person concerned is currently a resident of such a unit. It has its own medical service and pharmacy with direct transfer to a general hospital, if required. Optical services are provided through a local optician by direct contract to the hospital. Dental services have, in the past, been provided for residents of the hospital concerned at an Eastern Health Board dental clinic in the area and the board is reviewing how the provision of this service should continue in the broader perspective of service provision to residents of long stay institutions, generally.
