Over 100,000 new medical cards handed out this year

At least 111,000 new medical cards have been handed out this year, adding to the burden on health spending which was discussed at a special cabinet committee meeting yesterday.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny reassured the public that massive overspending by the HSE would be dealt with in a way that has minimal impact on patient care.

He met with Health Minister James Reilly as part of the Cabinet’s sub-committee on health, which also includes Finance Minister Michael Noonan, to discuss the HSE deficit, which stood at €280m at the end of May.

Speaking before the meeting, Mr Kenny said immediate steps would have to be taken to curb spending, but that every effort would be made to minimise the effect on frontline services.

“Traditionally what happened in most departments, particularly in the Department of Health, was that you waited until the back end of the year and a supplementary estimate was introduced.

“There will be no supplementary estimate introduced in any department this year, so that means that the corrective measures have to be put in place now.”

It is understood the Cabinet meeting discussed how the HSE could curb spending, including reducing the cost of overtime, sick leave, and the use of agency staff.

Sources said there has been a surge in the number using medical cards, increasing by 111,000 this year bringing the total number eligible to almost 1.8m.

Dr Reilly is meanwhile dealing with the fallout of his appearance in this week’s edition of the debt-monitoring magazine, Stubbs Gazette, over €1.9m owed by him and four other shareholders of the Greenhills nursing home.

He has changed his entry on the Dáil register of TDs’ interests which contained an “unintended error” relating to his involvement in the Co Tipperary nursing home.

The register of TDs’ interests stated Dr Reilly’s quarter share in the nursing home was transferred to a blind trust when he became minister, as per the advice of the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo).

However, in a speech to the Dáil on Wednesday night, Dr Reilly said he had given power of attorney to an independent solicitor to deal with his interest in the home.

A spokesperson said the discrepancy was down to error and that he has since asked the clerk of the Dáil to change the entry on the register of member’s interests.

Dr Reilly initially proposed to Sipo that his interest in the business be transferred to a blind trust controller by his brother.

However, this required bank consent, which was not granted because litigation in relation to the debt was under way.

Dr Reilly told the Dáil that in January, power of attorney was granted to a third-party solicitor.