Illegal health charges - Prevarication by ministers disquieting

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney insists that the Government is behaving fairly and reasonably in limiting repayments to €2,000 for people with medical cards who were illegally charged for their stay in nursing homes.

She admitted that a great deal more was deducted from patients illegally. “It was illegal to take it, but there is no obligation to pay it all back,” she argued.

The Tánaiste contended the Government could not repay all that it took illegally, because this “would cause financial chaos”.