Healthcare Policy
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-26
============================================================

Kieran O'Donnell (FG), Limerick City

Approximately 50,000 people in Ireland suffer from IBD. The national clinical programme for gastroenterology and hepatology was established in October 2019 as a joint collaboration between the HSE and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, RCPI. Gastroenterology and hepatology multidisciplinary teams, MDTs, provide expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions of the digestive tract, liver and pancreas, including inflammatory bowel disease. The HSE advised that as of May 2026, all level 4 hospitals, in addition to Connolly Hospital and Mercy University Hospital, which is level 3, have gastroenterology MDTs.
In relation to supports for patients, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services, GMS, scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970, as amended, eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. In certain circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances such as extra costs arising from illness. The HSE affords applicants the opportunity to furnish supporting documentation to determine whether undue hardship exists and to fully take account of all relevant circumstances that may benefit them in assessment. In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card, which entitles the applicant to GP visits without charge.
The issue of granting medical card eligibility based on having a particular disability or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE expert panel on medical need and medical card eligibility. The group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable or ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the expert group's advice, a person's means remains the main qualifier for a medical card. Under the drugs payment scheme, DPS, no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means-tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland.
Access to affordable healthcare services has improved over the last few years. These improvements include reductions in the DPS threshold, expansion of access to free GP care, and the abolition of all public inpatient hospital charges for children and adults. These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare. Finally, individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is available at the standard tax rate of 20%.
I note the other points the Senator raised in respect of the long-term illness card in terms of public transport and access to public facilities in respect of public toilets and bathrooms and so forth. Obviously, the Government keeps these aspects under active consideration.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-26