Backbenchers told agree... or deal with Cowen

FIANNA Fail backbenchers were told they would have to agree with controversial plans to change the medical card system, or the Taoiseach would be brought back from Brussels to deal with them.

A number of TDs were fuming last night over what they said were attempts to silence them from speaking out against plans in Budget 2009 to means test people over 70 for medical cards.

One Fianna Fáil member said the party “looked in disarray” at a parliamentary party meeting yesterday to discuss the medical card controversy.

A number of TDs said plans to introduce means testing for people over 70 will damage the party and cost votes in future.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan was described as “dictatorial” as chairman of yesterday’s meeting where just one TD expressed support for the move. Ms Coughlan was described by one TD as “threatening” after she told them they would have to meet with their leader, Brian Cowen, if they did not toe the party line on the issue.

“We were told that if we go out and talk about this, the Taoiseach would be summonsed back to deal with us. It was quite dictatorial,” said one TD.

Another TD said Ms Coughlan’s performance in the Dáil, where she defended the medical card plans, was “an absolute disgrace” and that “she lacked any knowledge and just taunted the opposition.”.

After yesterday’s meeting, which lasted two hours, Chief Whip Pat Carey took the unusual step of briefing the media about the issues raised.

“At end of the meeting members confirmed they agreed with the Government decision. They accepted there was concerns,” he said.

Asked about the outrage among some members over the medical card changes, Mr Carey said: “Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meetings don’t do angry.”

But the meeting was described by TDs as charged, angry and tense.

Cork North Central TD, Noel O’Flynn, said: “We are very angry, angry because we were left in the dark and we were left to explain it to the people without any knowledge about it in our possession”.

He added: “This was a PR disaster.

“The electorate are very angry about this and I feel bad for what is being done to older people.

“It has been a difficult week for us as a Government. Unless we explain the decisions taken, and who they are going to affect, this will linger on and fester and it could be difficult for us,” he said.

Longford Westmeath TD, Peter Kelly, said: “I will continue to lobby the Government to raise the income limit for qualification for the card.

“We should continue to discuss the matter and we will do so at a parliamentary party meeting again next week.”

John Cregan, from Limerick West, said: “The main concern was about the lack of clarity, the lack of detail, the lack of points of clarification.”

Pat The Cope Gallagher said the discussion in the meeting was “full and frank” and that he “reflected the views” of his constituents.

At last 35 TDs spoke out at the meeting and many last night privately expressed their anger over how the matter has been handled.

They said it had been a long-standing practice that ministers would hold meetings with the parliamentary party before the Budget to discuss its content. But this did not happen because of the “iron-fist ruling” by Mr Cowen.

“A lot of members are very upset that we didn’t have the pre-Budget meetings we had in Bertie’s time. If we did, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” one backbencher said.

A number of deputies suggested that the medical card fee for over 70s should be re-negotiated with the Irish Medical Organisation, to save money. A number of deputies were concerned the move might not stand up to legal scrutiny because some over-70s have medical cards that are dated to continue past January 2009 when means testing is due to come into effect.