Medical Cards

187. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Health if she will increase the qualifying income limits for a medical card in respect of those over 70 years, as these limits have not been increased since 2020 with no consideration allowed for any pro-rata public service pensions or State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6698/26]

215. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians providing services to medical card patients under the community ophthalmic services scheme in each of the years since 2019, by county and town/region, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6836/26]

1128. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that all salbutamol nebules covered by the HSE medical card scheme are out of stock and those on medical cards are forced to pay for private alternatives. [6464/26]

1129. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health when stock availability issues with salbutamol nebules covered by the HSE medical card scheme will be resolved. [6465/26]

1138. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current reimbursement status of salbutamol nebules under the medical card and GP visit card schemes; whether any products previously covered are no longer reimbursed due to supplier disruption; and the date on which any such change took effect. [6499/26]

1141. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason medical card holders are being asked to pay out-of-pocket for essential asthma medication due to supplier issues; whether this is consistent with HSE policy on chronic disease management; and the actions she is taking to prevent a recurrence. [6502/26]

1142. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she will commit to issuing immediate guidance to community pharmacies to ensure that no medical card holder is charged privately for salbutamol nebules or clinically required alternatives while supply issues persist. [6503/26]

84. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health her plans to increase medical card income limits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4993/26]

506. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if it can be ensured that the medical card income limits rise in line with social welfare/pension increases, to ensure that said increases do not result in the loss of medical cards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2857/26]

273. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will review the criteria for medical card eligibility to allow for an audiology-only medical card, or similar entitlement, for individuals with congenital deafness who face unavoidable and lifelong costs for essential hearing aids; if she will consider removing or modifying means-testing in cases where the medical need is permanent and …

1048. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the plans to remove the income threshold for access to a medical card for persons over 70 years-of-age in order to ensure universal access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4349/26]

167. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to simplify the medical card application process for people with cancer; the measures taken by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2636/26]

181. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a medical card application will be approved (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2730/26]

2062. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health her views on a matter (detail supplied) regarding prescription charges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73925/25]

2072. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to clarify if those on disability allowance and in receipt of a medical card will be charged more for their medication as a result of the Government’s decision to withdraw funding for blister packs; to specify the exact increase in charges that such people can expect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73976/25]

2080. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 905 of 9 December 2025, if her Department receives, holds, or reviews data from the primary care reimbursement service on medical card eligibility decisions where discretion is exercised following a means assessment; the number of such discretionary eligibility decisions made in respect of persons aged ove…

2081. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of discretionary medical card applications received for persons aged over 70 for the years 2020 to date in 2025, by year; the number approved; the number refused; the number of appeals lodged following refusals; of those appeals the number granted on review and the number in which the original decision was upheld; and if she …

2082. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health the reason carer's allowance is taken into consideration when applying for a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74089/25]

2142. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if holders of a long-term illness card are entitled to receive blister packs (medication compliance aids) free of charge where they are clinically required; if this entitlement is provided for under the long-term illness scheme or other community drug schemes; the guidance that has been issued by the HSE to pharmacies in this regard; a…

2150. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if a certificate of interest from a financial institution of all accounts be accepted and taken into consideration when assessing over 70s for a medical card instead of an assessment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74285/25]

2217. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to disregarding carer's allowance, either in full or in part, for the purposes of secondary benefit assessments such as medical cards; if not, the reasons for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74720/25]

2218. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the number of discretionary medical cards awarded in the past three years to applicants whose income exceeded the threshold due to receipt of carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74721/25]

2219. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will review the current medical card income thresholds for those over 70 years of age, particularly in circumstances where household income includes carer's allowance and where there are high, recurring medical expenses; and the proposals to amend the existing assessment criteria. [74722/25]

662. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to put a system in place whereby any incremental rise in the old-age pension is matched by a similar rise in the qualifying income for the medical card, as it cannot be allowed to continue that any rise in the old-age pension, the right to which has been earned over a lifetime, should be the cause of disqualifying a person close to the thres…

727. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of discretionary medical card applications received for persons aged over 70 in 2025; the number approved; the number refused; the number of appeals lodged following refusals; and, of those appeals, the number granted on review; and the number in which the original decision was upheld; and if she will make a statement on the m…