Ó Caoláin slams Government as medical card fraudsters

The government’s medical card measures in the budget has been branded as “an act of fraud” by a local Sinn Féin TD.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD said that this government’s idea of universal healthcare is to give out GP-only cards with one hand and take back full medical cards with the other.
“We in Sinn Féin said the extension of free GP care to children under five would be a welcome start to universal access for all – but not at the expense of taking medical cards from other sections of the population who need them as this government is now doing,' said the deputy. 'This is not universality – it is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
He claimed that when Fine Gael and Labour were in opposition, they 'raised the roof in protest at prescription charges' for medical card holders, and noted that they have now raised those charges yet again.
“€37 million is to be spent on the under-5s GP card but €149 million is to be taken out of the overall medical card budget. That will mean more people currently in need losing their medical cards.
“Far from tackling medical card fraud this government are the fraudsters.
He claimed that Sinn Féin's alternative budget provided for the extension of free GP care to all children under 5 without depriving anyone else of medical cards.
“This is not universal healthcare – it is a shameless attempt at the universal hoodwinking of the public. It is the Labour Party trying to appear to be the giving left hand while attempting to conceal the robbing right hand of Fine Gael. They are both thieves and as thick as thieves,” he said.

Meanwhile, his party colleague, Sinn Féin’s Midlands Northwest EU candidate, Cllr Matt Carthy, claimed the cuts in the budget will hit the young unemployed severely.

“This budget failed the fairness test. Sinn Féin had set out a blueprint for a fair budget. The government failed to listen,' said Matt Carthy.
“I am very concerned about the impact of this budget on emigration which is already at crisis levels. This isn’t about targeting the work shy, it is targeting the emigration shy.
“This move, like the original Fianna Fáil cuts for those under 23, is sending a clear message to young people who have not yet emigrated, that it is time to go. This will have serious economic and social consequences in the years ahead.
“Emigration is destroying communities and there is nothing in this budget that will turn this situation around. There needed to be a focus on stimulus and creating job opportunities for the young unemployed.
“The cumulative impact of this cut and the growth of unpaid and low paid work on the levels of poverty being experienced by young families is shocking.
“The cuts to maternity benefit will see new mothers losing up to €32 a week and will far outweigh the benefits of the GP card for under 5s.
comes on top of the removal of the tax-free status from maternity benefit last year. These cuts are part of a wider phenomenon that those least likely to vote tend to be seen as an easy target for government cuts. This is the case for the disadvantaged, those on lower incomes and young people. I would say to all of these people – when you next get a chance get out and vote and make your voice heard.”