In budget 2013, the Government signalled that €750 million would be cut from health spending this year and that medical card entitlements would be targeted. During the Easter recess in April, the HSE announced that further restrictions on medical cards were being introduced. This followed on from legislation that lowered the income threshold for medical card qualification among people aged over 70 years. This has come from a Government elected on a promise of free primary health care for all.

Every Deputy knows that constituency offices are being inundated by citizens bearing the brunt of these cuts and whose medical card entitlements have been removed. In many cases, they are from households in mortgage distress and are suffering unemployment and the extra taxes the Government is pressing down on them.

There are stories behind all of these statistics. In my constituency of Louth, a seven year old with a congenital heart defect who has required numerous surgeries and ongoing general practitioner, GP, and hospital care and medication has seen his card withdrawn.

Question.

This is a part of the Government's austerity policy. Parents have needed to cope with such situations. Does the Minister accept that, in taking medical cards from thousands of families, the Government is inflicting financial hardship and poorer health prospects on people who are already struggling? Does he accept that this additional cut is especially severe for families like the one to which I referred, particularly given the outrageous cuts to child benefit? Will the Minister commit to restoring medical card entitlements?

I thank the Deputy for his question. Medical card eligibility is set out plainly in law. The means test has not been changed. People have the right to present individual health cases, which are always addressed. If the Deputy wishes to draw a specific case to the attention of those assessing it-----

Thousands of them.

-----I would be happy to receive it.

The broad picture is that an increasing number of people have medical cards. Never in the history of the State have we had as many as 42% of people eligible for cards. The figure has increased this year. Despite the difficulties in which public services find themselves and the economies that every part of Government has needed to achieve, we continue to expand entitlements for primary care because we recognise that people need eligibility in that regard. There are difficulties in every part of the health service, but we are expanding eligibility in terms of medical cards and we have not reduced the means test in any way. We continue to have a process whereby cases involving particular hardship and medical evidence can be brought to the attention of the decision makers. These aspects are factored into the decisions taken. In difficult times, we are trying to ensure people are catered for in respect of their access to GP and primary care.

That sounds wonderful, but it does not reflect the reality of life for citizens like the one I mentioned. I will provide another example. I received a letter seeking support for a man in County Galway. It reads:

Jimmy is in general good health, but he requires the constant presence of a responsible adult at all times for safety issues as he is registered blind and very deaf. His children (who are now retired) travel on a rota basis to stay with Jimmy and take care of him. His limited income ensures his home is warm and comfortable and that he has good nutrition. He receives a home care attendant service Mon-Fri to support family members. I believe that the family needs a medical card to maintain the home care attendant service.

This man is 102 years old. Come on, Minister. This is the reality for a family.

In the Government's five-point plan, the health section was called a fair care plan. However, there is nothing fair or caring about it. It entails bonuses for corrupt bankers and toadying up to the well-connected and the wealthy. It is forcing families like that one to bear the awful brunt of the Government's austerity policies.

There is another twist in the tail. The family made representations, as did health professionals and Sinn Féin representatives, so the decision is being reviewed. However, his medical card has been extended for only one month while the review takes place. The Government is making health care unaffordable and thus inaccessible for the sick, elderly and other vulnerable people. I appeal to the Minister not to give us any palaver, rhetoric and plámás. These cruel cuts should be withdrawn.

I am perfectly happy to arrange that the case the Deputy has raised be investigated.

There are 40,000 such cases.

From what he indicated, it is being reviewed. Generally, anyone who is aged 70 or over is entitled to a medical card if their gross income does not exceed €600 per week. That is the income threshold. The other part of that assessment is that a person may have savings but savings up to €36,000 will be disregarded. The system therefore does attempt to provide for people of a more advanced age-----

It does not.

-----and more prone to illness, to have a much higher income threshold. That is set out in the legislation. In addition, they have the security of knowing that they can have savings and those will not be treated. If there are special circumstances, and undoubtedly there are in this case, those special circumstances will be reviewed in each case.

There are thousands of them.

That discretion is there and it will obviously hinge on the merit of the case. If the Deputy wants to give details of the case he cited, I will arrange for the HSE to examine those details.