Rally to voice medical card issue outrage

GROUPS representing older people are to converge at two major gatherings next week to voice their outrage at the decision to means-test the over 70s medical card.

Age Action has called an open meeting for next Tuesday and has invited all TDs and ministers to attend although organisation spokesman Eamon Timmins said the Minister for Older People, Maire Hoctor, had already said she had prior commitments and would not attend.

Mr Timmins said the meeting was being held to put politicians face to face with the people whose lives were affected by the budget decisions. “What’s missing in all this is the voice of the people most affected,” he said.

“This will give people a chance to have their say and explain what the medical card means to them and what it will mean to them to lose it. I would expect it will mainly be opposition TDs who will come but we would challenge Government TDs to come and hear what has to be said.”

Age Action will also be supporting a rally planned outside the Dáil on Wednesday. The Senior Citizens’ Parliament, and many retirement associations affiliated to it, is taking the lead on the event and is backed by SIPTU.

Nora O’Donovan, secretary of the parliament’s Cork division, said the demonstration was in response to the reaction of their own members and many other concerned older people. “We are getting lots of phone calls and emails. People are very fearful for their future at the moment,” she said.

“We feel the most vulnerable in our society, the people that have built up this country over the years, are being used as a soft target. It’s a sick joke.”

Ms O’Donovan said some of the most worrying calls came from elderly people, who had chronic illnesses, but were also caring for even more poorly spouses.

She also said the decision to withdraw the medical card was at odds with the Government’s own policy of encouraging people to use GPs and other primary health care services rather than acute hospitals.

“They say they want us to stay healthy and stop blocking up hospital beds but if people can’t afford to attend their GP or go to a chiropodist or use the other services that help you stay well as opposed to just treat you when you’re sick, they will end up in hospital.”

nAnyone attending Wednesday’s rally should gather at the Kildare Street entrance to Leinster House at 12.30pm. Anyone wishing to attend Age Action’s meeting should come to the Alexander Hotel, Fenian Street off Merrion Square in Dublin at 11am but people are asked to notify their attendance by email to [e-mail] or by calling 01-4756989 in case a larger venue has to be arranged.