Cowen apologises for distress but persists with medical card plan

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has apologised for the distress caused to elderly people by the medical card fiasco, but is persisting with the government’s plan to end the automatic entitlement to cards for over-70s.

However, Mr Cowen is revising the proposed eligibility criteria so that more over-70s will qualify for cards. The Taoiseach announced the partial, yet significant, climb down at a press conference in Government Buildings yesterday, accompanied by Health Minister Mary Harney and Green party leader and Environment Minister John Gormley.

Under the revised plan, the income thresholds will be widened to gross income of €700 a week for a single person and €1,400 for a couple.