September 2013 Council Meeting
At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask for the support of the Members in calling on the Minister for Health to stop the widespread withdrawal of discretionary medical cards because it is causing huge anxiety, grief and concern throughout the country.
-Speaking at the September meeting of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Guckian said the Government needs to stop the widespread withdrawal of discretionary medical cards, as this new action is causing huge anxiety, concern and financial difficulty throughout the county and the country.
“Over the past number of months I have had many phone calls from people who have had their medical card reviewed and withdrawn. There seems to have been a change in Government policy to reduce the number of discretionary medical cards.”
“A discretionary medical card had been previously awarded to people, who were over the income limit but due to their chronic long-term illness and the subsequent high medication costs, GP and medical care costs, a Medical card was awarded. Over the past number of months the criteria for qualifying for a discretionary medical card appears to have changed and people, who previously qualified are now having their medical cards redrawn although there has been no change in their long term illness. This is a huge concern and it is causing anxiety and financial difficulties for many people. It is my understanding that over the past few years there has been a cut of over 21,000 in discretionary medical cards.
People with a chronic long-term illness have a clear and undeniable medical need. The Government needs to reverse their policy of not no longer facilitating people with long-term chronic illnesses and they need to reinstate discretionary medical cards for those in need. There appears to be a deliberate attempt to restrict and withdraw medical cards in order to save money, this is not acceptable and is self-defeating for the health service .”
I welcomed the support from all members of Leitrim County Council, received for my motion in calling on the Minister to address this serious problem.
Question in the name of Councillor Sinead Guckian 2/9/2013
At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council, I ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure how often are the public drains for storm water within the town of Carrick on Shannon examined and maintained. Given the recent serious nature of the flooding problems experienced at Letterkenny Hospital, and the role the public storm water drains to and from the site may have played, I would ask that all public storm water drains in our towns and villages would have a planned maintenance schedule and that Members be circulated with a copy of same.
Reply from the Director of Services -The importance of maintaining the storm water network is fully appreciated by the Area Staff and the storm water drainage system in Carrick on Shannon is routinely monitored and cleaned as required.
I have requested further information with regard to the monitoring and routine maintenance referred to in the reply and it has been brought to my attention that there are problems on part of the storm water collection network.