Promised GP cards yet to be issued

In her anxiety to hold out the possibility of widening the medical card recipient pool, Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney last December announced 200,000 GP-only cards were to be issued.

Apart from the fact that they were not actual medical cards, nine months later not one has been issued.

In fact, there are now 105,000 fewer people with medical cards, as pointed out by Labour health spokesperson Liz McManus, who has now called on the Tánaiste to explain their non-appearance.

One explanation would be that the Irish Medical Organisation has advised its members not to co-operate with the introduction of the new, more limited cards.

Consequently, the issue will be discussed between the IMO and the HSE Employers Agency tomorrow in the Labour Relations Commission, from where it may, or may not, emerge intact.

It would have made eminent sense if, before she announced them, the Health Minister might have taken the precaution to ensure they were acceptable to those expected to administrate them.