15,000 medical cards to be returned

Up to 15,000 people who lost vital discretionary medical cards as part of a now-scrapped Government review of the system will see them returned by the end of next week.

HSE deputy director general Laverne McGuinness told the latest Oireachtas Health Committee meeting the figure will be reached by next Friday — with 10,000 cards already returned by today.

Confirmation of the move comes after the Government last month promised to return the cards to all 15,000 people with acute or life-long medical conditions, who lost them in recent weeks under a controversial review.