Limerick East): I propose taking Questions Nos. 61 and 118 together.
All Irish residents qualify for a comprehensive range of health services depending on their means. Under the Health Act, 1970, medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board, are unable, without undue hardship, to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants. Medical cards may also be awarded to individual family members.
Medical card holders are entitled to the full range of public health services free of charge. No illness or disease is precluded under the medical card scheme and in this regard all medical card holders are entitled to the appropriate treatment. In addition, general practitioners are obliged to ensure that no discrimination is exercised as between the treatment of medical card holders and private patients.
Non-medical card holders are, of course, entitled to the full range of public hospital and public consultant services for the treatment of illnesses and diseases. They are also entitled to avail of the community drug schemes which provided assistance towards the cost of prescribed drugs and medicines for persons with on-going medical conditions.