€50 medical card tax 'would target most vulnerable'

A €50 charge on medical cards and the closure of 842 public nursing home beds would target the sickest and poorest in society, according to Age Action.

Reacting to speculation over proposed cuts to the health sector in the December 6 Budget, the advocacy group said the scale of the cuts is shocking and totally unacceptable.

Spokesman Eamon Timmins says older people are in desperate fear of upcoming cuts

Age Action has demanded a meeting with Mr Reilly and called on the public to raise their opposition with TDs and senators.

It warned the measures would cause widespread hardship to the lives of thousands of older people, damage their health, and have serious knock-on repercussions for the health service.

“The scale of the threatened cuts is shocking and is totally unacceptable,” said Mr Timmins.

“They represent an unprecedented attack by Government on some of our most vulnerable citizens.

“The brunt of the cuts would be borne by the sickest and poorest of older people who are at a stage of life, on low fixed incomes and with health needs, where they are dependent on the State for essential services.

“The sicker and poorer you are, the more you would be hit by the threatened cuts.”