Government is digging in its heels on issue of medical card compensation

Acknowledging just how cruel the medical card reviews had become, the Taoiseach described to the Dáil how people with motor neurone disease were "asked by the computer" to respond even though they "were unable to speak and move and therefore could not respond."

The decision to restore cards to 15,000 people was made “after listening to stories of the pressure that is on so many people” he said.

“Obviously these things should never have happened.”