Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West, Seán Crowe, has called on the Health Minister Simon Harris to scrap his review into issuing discretionary medical cards to terminally ill citizens and introduce the scheme immediately.

Teachta Crowe said that the small number of those who are terminally don’t have the time to wait for a lengthy review and called on Minister Harris to issue the cards as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“Budget 2020 stated that the HSE would review arrangements for the discretionary medical cards to all those with a terminal illness and look to extending medical cards to them. There is cross party support for this and it needs to happen now.

“I raised this in the Dáil with Minister Harris today and he replied that the review would be finished by Christmas. Unfortunately, these terminally ill citizens and their families don’t have the time to wait for the outcome of his review. Many of them are being stretched to the limit both mentally and physically.

“Worrying about paying medical bills should not be dominating and overshadowing the last days of their life on this earth. They shouldn’t have to be spending their limited time lobbying politicians for change.

“They have received the most devastating news and the least the State can do is to give them a medical card throughout their illness.

“We are talking about a small but an important number of our citizens.

“I am calling on Minister Simon Harris to the right thing for them by scrapping his review and agree to issue medical cards to everyone who has a terminal illness.”