Republican News · Thursday 6 December 2001

Ó Caoláin demands extension of Medical Cards

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday night, Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin supported a motion criticising the government for its failure to extend medical card eligibility despite the commitment to do so in the new Health Strategy. Ó Caolain told the Dáil:

"In the week since the publication of the Health Strategy we have seen the lack of vision, the lack of conviction and the lack of leadership in this government exposed as never before.

"It is patently obvious that the long delay in producing the government Health Strategy had nothing to do with the extent of the work involved. Rather it had everything to do with the fact that there was no clear leadership and no direction at the Cabinet table as to how to put right our grossly inequitable health system. The Taoiseach just let his Ministers for Health and Finance fight it out.

"The Health Strategy was unveiled with great fanfare and then the government told us that it would not take the one vital short-term action needed and that is to extend medical card eligibility.

"Nothing is to be done on medical cards in the remaining term of this government and we are told that the planned extension will not begin until 2003 - 'budgetary considerations' permitting. Minister McCreevy won the argument. That is the reality, plain and simple. Minister McCreevy has once again had his way. And, more significantly, the Taoiseach did not take the lead and ensure that action was taken in tomorrow's Budget to help those most in need in our health system.

"We have heard that the initial extension of medical cards to 200,000 people would have cost £80 million. In 2001 Minister McCreevy reduced Corporation Tax at a cost of £214 million. That shows the priorities of this government. The profit margins of big business come before the needs of families who cannot afford to bring their children to the doctor or buy essential medication because they are denied a medical card.

"I call for the immediate extension of medical card eligibility to all under 18, to all on or below the minimum wage, to all with disabilities and conditions such as asthma, necessitating expensive ongoing medication. My own brother has Down's Syndrome and has long held a medical card but I was shocked to learn recently that there are many others with the same or similar intellectual disabilities who do not qualify. This is a disgrace and after four and a half years of huge budget surpluses this government should hang its head in shame.

"Sinn Féin will fight the forthcoming general election on our policy of ending the grossly unequal two-tier system in our health service and providing free comprehensive health care for all."