International soccer star Robbie Keane has lent his weight to a growing campaign to radically reform the medical card system, insisting changes are needed to help seriously ill children and their families.

Forget being wary of Greeks bearing gifts. They’re amateurs when compared to politicians bearing medical cards on the eve of an election, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

More than 20,000 people have signed a day-old petition calling for seriously ill children to be automatically given medical cards.

Health Minister James Reilly has admitted the Coalition is inflicting "tremendous distress" on people through widespread medical card reviews, as the issue threatens to damage government party support in Friday’s elections.

Families with children who have severe health problems are to picket the Dáil "indefinitely" until laws are re-written to give them an automatic right to medical card help.