Dad’s cycle protest in medical card row

A father is to embark on a gruelling countrywide cycle to the Dáil this Friday in a desperate bid to force the Government to return the medical card of his daughter, who has Down’s syndrome.

Tim O’Brien, 46, from Ballyphehane in Cork City, will make the near-550km round trip to confront Cabinet members who claimed during the general election run-in that they would not allow this situation to occur.

Despite initially receiving a two-year discretionary medical card due to the seriousness of her condition when she was born in Oct 2010, HSE officials have now told Mr O Brien the support is no longer available for his daughter, Lucy.