Suspend medical card reviews until vaccine roll-out is completed

ACTION must be taken to ensure medical and GP visit cards are not removed from people during the lockdown, says Mayo Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh.

The government, she said, must suspend all reviews for existing medical card holders until the vaccine roll-out has been completed.

Addressing the Tánaiste in the Dáil this week, Deputy Conway-Walsh stated: “We are at the height of a pandemic and people are being contacted by the HSE to review their existing medical cards.

“I am calling on the government to stop this practice.

“Last year, there was a temporary moratorium and automatic extensions were given to all card holders. This must be replicated.

“Medical card thresholds are already way too low. We should be expanding coverage and providing more medical cards.

“It is a cruel practice to punish workers and families when they are trying to cope during this difficult time with many dealing with sickness and bereavement.

“Now is not the time to be hounding people for medical cards.

“This government needs to protect people and deal with this issue.”