Kenny to tackle medical card delays

Enda Kenny has pledged to personally intervene over delays in renewing medical cards — but his promise to visit the medical card centre was dismissed as a publicity stunt by the opposition.

Despite a tide of complaints from many cardholders — often the vulnerable and the elderly — that a centralised system brought in last year has prevented them getting renewals, the Taoiseach played down the concerns as the result of “teething problems”.

The HSE has continually insisted the problem is minor, claiming last month that 85% of cards were issued in the 15-day target window.