Soccer star Keane backs medical card drive

International soccer star Robbie Keane has lent his weight to a growing campaign to radically reform the medical card system, insisting changes are needed to help seriously ill children and their families.

Ireland’s captain and record goal-scorer, who currently plays for LA Galaxy in the US, made the call after being told of the Our Children’s Health campaign, which was launched by a teacher at his former school.

The campaign, which began last week, is seeking changes to the 1970 Health Act so that any child with a serious condition automatically receives a medical card instead of depending on the discretion of officials.

The campaign was launched by Kevin Shortall and his brother-in-law, Peter Fitzpatrick, last Tuesday on behalf of Mr Shortall’s daughter Louise, nine, who has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Posting a picture on Facebook of his name on the ourchildrenshealth.ie petition, the football star told his 200,217 followers the current difficulties are needlessly damaging Ireland’s most vulnerable children.

Urging a change in the law, Keane wrote: “A teacher at my old school has set up this campaign to help change the constitution and legally entitle any child with a serious illness or congenital condition to a full medical card for the duration of their illness.

“I’ve signed the petition to show my support and hope you will too.”

Mr Shortall revealed the support at the first of planned daily protests outside the Dáil until the law is changed. The teacher said the football star’s involvement has already led to a fresh surge in petition signatures, with the figure expected to exceed 60,000 by this morning.

“Robbie used to go to the school I teach in, in West Tallaght,” he said. I’ve met him a number of times. He’s a good man and involved in Ireland, involved in his community.

“It’s caused a major spike today.”

Yesterday’s lunchtime protest was attended by up to 100 families, representatives of groups including the Jack and Jill Foundation and Down Syndrome Ireland, and a number of opposition politicians who have called for medical card reform.

On every day the Dáil sits — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday — Peter Fitzpatrick will protest outside from 7am to 8.30am as ministers arrive until the change is made.

The campaign will also include less frequent lunchtime Dáil protests and across the country.

Speaking at the first protest, Mark Fitzpatrick — who is not related to the campaign’s organisers — said action, not words, is needed from TDs.

Holding his 10-month-old son, Eric, who is one of only 90 children in the world with a rare genetic condition that means he will “never walk or talk”, Mark Fitzpatrick said: “We want to make it easier for people in the future. We were only €70 over the threshold when they took into account maternity benefit, which obviously is only for six months.

“Another family were eight cents over. Eight cents. It makes no sense.”