Kenny urges medical card compassion

Terminally ill Marie Fleming — who lost a Supreme Court appeal earlier this year to establish a legal “right to die” — was asked to produce new evidence proving her illness despite a promise by health bosses to look at how patients with long-term sicknesses were treated under the medical card scheme.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday said more compassion was needed in the process after her partner criticised the “ludicrous” request for information on her condition.

The HSE yesterday expressed regret over the correspondence after Health Minister James Reilly urged it to apologise for distress caused.