Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:531 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if it is his policy to means test medical cards. [13832/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 13 March 2012
Ceisteanna (477)
Freagraí scríofa
Payments made by the Department of Social Protection are funded by social insurance contributions and by the Exchequer. One of the core principles of social insurance is that, in return for the insurance contribution, payments will be made to the insured worker in the event of prescribed contingencies arising, such as unemployment, disability or old age. It is not my policy to means test such State entitlements as to do so would undermine the insurance policy upon which they based.
Entitlements funded by the Exchequer are paid subject to a means test, with some exceptions, most notably Child Benefit. Any changes to the schemes operated by the Department, including the means testing of schemes which are not currently means tested, will be considered by the Cabinet in the context of this ongoing review of expenditure and in the context of deciding the fiscal consolidation measures to be included in Budget 2013. That consideration will be informed by, among other things, the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, which was published as part of the Budget 2012 process.