‘No change on medical card policy’

There has been no change of policy on providing medical cards to the seriously ill, the Taoiseach insisted, after he was accused of a “nasty attack” on people with cancer or terminal conditions.

The Government has again been forced onto the defensive on the issue after claims there had been a “cull” of discretionary medical cards, which are awarded based on illness and not on financial means.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the number of discretionary cards issued has dropped from over 80,000 in 2010 to 56,000.