Government wins Dáil vote after TDs fall into line

THE Government comfortably won a vote on its controversial medical card policy last night, after Fianna Fáil backbenchers and supporting Independent TDs put aside their strong concerns and cast their ballot in favour of the scheme.

A Fine Gael motion that the plan should be scrapped to allow all over-70s to hold onto their medical cards was defeated by 81 votes to 74 in what some deputies said was one of the most important votes they had undertaken.

Independents Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy Rae, who had threatened to vote against the Government, last night gave their support after getting a number of assurances in relation to their constituencies and the medical card scheme.

Joe Behan, who quit the Fianna Fáil party last week, cast his first vote against the Government since being elected. Independent Finian McGrath, who withdrew his support from the Government earlier this week, also voted with the opposition.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny told government deputies that, when they walked out the gates of the Dáil last night, they “will have inflicted a scar on the body politic of this country, the likes of which has not been seen for 50 years”.

He said: “Long after we all leave here, people will not forget what you have done.”

Before they cast their votes, Fine Gael Health spokesman Dr James Reilly said the ordinary people of Ireland, and not just the wealthy, will be affected: “We were told that the people this is aimed at are the millionaires. But the reality is, with the current thresholds being gross, the guard married to the nurse will not be covered by this medical card, the nurse married to the teacher may not qualify for the medical card. These are not millionaires. These are the ordinary people of Ireland. Middle Ireland. The people who have worked hard, defended us raised us, nourished us.”

Labour’s spokeswoman on social and family affairs Roisín Shorthall said there was “no basis whatsoever” to the Government’s claim that just 5% of over-70s will be excluded from the medical card. “Mark my words, a great many more people than 5% will be excluded from the right to a medical card under these income limits.

“Teachers, gardaí, nurses who are retired will now find themselves above those limits and excluded from the medical card. Very ordinary people will be losing out.” Ms Shorthall saved some words for former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who arrived for the vote on crutches after breaking his leg.

“There are a lot of things about Bertie Ahern that I bitterly disagreed with. But one thing I will give him: he understood people and he understood human nature and that trait has not been inherited by his successor,” she said.

Independent Michael Lowry voted on the side of the Government after getting assurances on a number of issues relating to his constituency and that the income threshold would not be changed after being introduced.

Pat the Cope Gallagher said it was members of his Fianna Fáil party who reversed the original budget policy on medical cards.

Independent TD Tony Gregory said: “The Government thought they had some easy, soft target. The elderly have put paid to that illusion. The pensioners have achieved in six days what the cost partnership lead by ICTU constantly fails to achieve: a real defence of the disadvantaged in our society.”

Labour’s Sean Sherlock said: “It we are truly to be a republic, we must reverse these measures.”

Minister for Older People Máire Hoctor said she was sorry older people felt compelled to come out and protest: “There isn’t a single one of my colleagues who doesn’t recognise the deep anger that people felt. We have acted on that and we have listened. The new threshold is designed to ensure the vast majority of people over 70 will continue to have their medical card.” Key votes

Speculation focused on a number of key figures who had expressed vehement opposition to the Government’s original plan. Some were satisfied with the revisions announced on Tuesday. Others were not. Here’s how they voted:

For the Government:

Noel O’Flynn (FF)

Mattie McGrath (FF)

Jim McDaid (FF)

Paul Gogarty (GP)

Jackie Healy-Rae (Ind)

Michael Lowry (Ind)

For the opposition:

Joe Behan (ex-FF, now Ind)

Finian McGrath (Ind)

The vote was also notable for the appearances of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who broke his leg in a fall on Tuesday, and Independent TD Tony Gregory, who appeared despite being ill. Mr Ahern supported the Government and Mr Gregory voted for the opposition.