Health promise timing dominates renewed Dáil row

The Government was accused of making promises to fix the medical card system to "ease pressure" on the coalition parties ahead of Friday’s elections.

The issue dominated the first day back for the Dáil after the local and European campaigns.

Michael Noonan, the finance minister, said the HSE would be “told to operate now in a situation that taking cards from sick children is no longer an acceptable option”.