Medical card and pension paper forms
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae argued older people cannot always complete medical card renewals or pension reviews online and need paper forms and easier phone access. The Taoiseach said he believed paper forms were still available and would check, then correspond with the Deputy in writing.
I want to express my support, as I always have, for the nurses who find themselves in the situation they are in.
When people are asked to review their medical cards, they are sent a letter telling them to do it online or to telephone a number. When they ring that number, the telephone is never answered. I inquired on people's behalf to discover there is no such thing as being sent out a form that one can fill out to renew one's medical card. There is no such form. There is total confusion. I spoke to excellent people who work in the medical card processing unit and they are embarrassed about the letter that has gone out. The Taoiseach kindly intervened when he was Minister for Social Protection. He saw an anomaly on a form that I put in front of him and changed it right afterwards. I ask him to do that and-----
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-----also to address people being told to do pension reviews online and that they cannot do it manually. We have to accept that there are older people who cannot do a thing online so forms have to be made available, whether for pensions or medical cards.
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It is very important, a Cheann Comhairle, for older people-----
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It is very important for other Members to get a chance to come in and they will not.
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I have been waiting diligently for my answer to this question.