20,000 support assistance for seriously ill children

More than 20,000 people have signed a day-old petition calling for seriously ill children to be automatically given medical cards.

A family behind the newly formed Our Children’s Health initiative revealed public support from all areas of Ireland as they launched a bid to change the current, finance-focussed system.

Speaking at Buswells Hotel, Dublin, Kevin Shortall, whose nine-year-old daughter has fought a two-year battle to receive discretionary medical card help despite suffering leukaemia, said the vast majority of people want the legal change.

He said since a petition calling for the 1970 Health Act to be changed so children with severe or congenital health conditions automatically receive the support was launched yesterday morning, more than 20,000 people have signed up.

In a further sign of the depth of public support, Mr Shortall said the petition website crashed twice due to the volume of people logging on.

The legal right to medical card aid for these children — who have been diagnosed with cancer, Down syndrome, and other serious health issues — is being sought as a replacement for the existing system, which sees discretionary medical cards provided on the basis of “financial hardship”.

Mr Shortall said if 300,000 people sign the petition they can ask President Michael D Higgins to request that Government change the rule.

“For the last two years we have not only been fighting childhood cancer but also the HSE,” said Mr Shortall. “One of these we shouldn’t be fighting, but there is a very simple cure.”

“Our fight is not with the medical card staff. What we want is to remove discretion completely from the agenda, and guarantee automatic cards for children with serious conditions.”

As part of the campaign Mr Shortall’s brother-in-law, Peter Fitzpatrick, confirmed those involved will picket the Dáil “every day it is sitting” until the situation is resolved.

Mr Fitzpatrick said he will personally be at the gates of Leinster House “at 7.15am every morning” to greet Taoiseach Enda Kenny with an 6m banner to ensure the campaign’s presence is maintained.

The initiative has sought face-to-face meetings with all political parties in a bid to gain wider support, and is due to meet Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin health spokesmen Billy Kelleher and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin in the coming days.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation backed the campaign last night, describing the initiative as “very legitimate” and “laudable”.

* Further details available at ourchildrenshealth.ie.