Incompetents holding press conference on Medical cards fiasco

[Langer Dan]

The Taoiseach, Minister for Health Mary Harney and Minister for the Environment John Gormley are to hold a press conference at 9.45am today on the over-70s medical card issue, according to a statement released this morning.

[oul'doll]

I hope a pissed off oul'wan with nothing left to live for shoots them all.

[Arcadia]

How these 2 career assholes face the world is beyond me.

Hope we have an election soon.

[Lamps]

Everyone over 70 keeps their medical card, 95% of those who will come into this category in the next few years will be eligible under their new rules.

They hope to still make the savings through negotiations with the IMO.

Healthcare as a universal benefit for pensioners has been scrapped if this passes and they will now chip away at the bands over the next few budgets, or better still, just never adjust them in line with inflation, they'll then get what they want by the back door.

Hopefully its rejected

[Langer Dan]

The Taoiseach this morning announced increased thresholds for over-70s medical cards and said those who currently have medical cards would not have to undergo means testing.

Brian Cowen said the new income threshold for those over 70 would be €700 per week, €36,500, for a single person and €1,400, or €73,000 per year for a couple.

The means test for new applicants would be applied from January 2009, the Taoiseach said.

Mr Cowen made the announcement at a press conference this morning accompanied by Minister for Health Mary Harney and Minister for the Environment John Gormley.

The Cabinet was today expected to consider moves to exempt the lower paid from the 1 per cent income levy that was put forward in the Budget, while the automatic right to medical cards for the over 70s is set to be debated in the Dáil today.

Cabinet ministers will meet this morning ahead of a Fianna Fail parliamentary party gathering.

Brian Cowen was expected to make an appeal for discipline among Fianna Fáil TDs when he addresses his parliamentary party today in advance of the vote in the Dáil.

The debate on the Fine Gael motion calling for the over-70s medical card scheme starts later day, with a vote expected tomorrow.

The Government's Dáil majority was cut from 12 to eight last night with the defection of Independent TD, Finian McGrath. He will join Wicklow TD Joe Behan, who resigned from Fianna Fáil last week, on the Opposition side of the House.

Mr Cowen is expected to leave for China later today to join a trade mission there. The Taoiseach delayed his departure by two days to try and sort out the controversy and held talks with the Irish Medical Organisation yesterday.

The Competition Authority said the IMO cannot negotiate with the Government on GPs’ fees to try to end the crisis as it would breach competition law.

But the body said the Government was not prevented from consulting with the doctors.

Elsewhere, Age Action Ireland is this morning hosting a public meeting at the Alexandra Hotel in Dublin to give older people a chance to explain to politicians how the abolition of the automatic entitlement affects them.

Green Party councillors are expected to hold talks tomorrow to debate the provisions.

Expect this one to run and run.....

[jd26]

Does anyone else think this might have been engineered as an issue that could be backed down on so that everyone would ignore the other unfair parts of the budget like the income levy and the builders and publicans bail-outs?

[ChairmanMiah]

Expect this one to run and run.....

Yip! They must be hoping all the over-70 start to pass away before the next election ... :rolleyes:

[Langer Dan]

Yip! They must be hoping all the over-70 start to pass away before the next election ... :rolleyes:

heh heh heh,

'Linehan announces euthanasia tax relief for the over-70's'

Earra what in the name of God they were expecting is beyond me.
Hammer the oldies and education yet not a single jobcut in the public sector?

Foolahs....

[Rebelred]

Does anyone else think this might have been engineered as an issue that could be backed down on so that everyone would ignore the other unfair parts of the budget like the income levy and the builders and publicans bail-outs?

don't worry jd, we haven't forgotten the builders get out and the education cut backs.

[Ciotóg]

Does anyone else think this might have been engineered as an issue that could be backed down on so that everyone would ignore the other unfair parts of the budget like the income levy and the builders and publicans bail-outs?
Or brought in knowing it wouldn't get through in its original form but instead used as a stick to beat the IMO and pharmacists with, to get them to reduce their costs?

Maybe just worrying people for a couple of weeks is okay if you can get €100m in savings?

[pudgee]

"Incompetants"

perfect

[Langer Dan]

I was obviously referring to the French, langball...

[scouser]

Why the big fear of the means test??
If you can afford it-pay for it.

[jd26]

It's a great way to disincentivise saving and investing to top up your pension.

It's also very much a first step to means testing all other universal provisions like child benefit. As normal, those with the highest income will be little affected and those with the lowest will keep their entitlements, but those in the middle, who are the people who've contributed the biggest tax take in their lifetimes will lose out.

[Lamps]

It's a great way to disincentivise saving and investing to top up your pension.

It's also very much a first step to means testing all other universal provisions like child benefit. As normal, those with the highest income will be little affected and those with the lowest will keep their entitlements, but those in the middle, who are the people who've contributed the biggest tax take in their lifetimes will lose out.

Mary Coughlan stated this morning. quite categorically. that this wouldn't be the case and when this govt says that you can be sure they mean it:lol!:

[ANVIL]

It's a great way to disincentivise saving and investing to top up your pension.

It's also very much a first step to means testing all other universal provisions like child benefit. As normal, those with the highest income will be little affected and those with the lowest will keep their entitlements, but those in the middle, who are the people who've contributed the biggest tax take in their lifetimes will lose out.

I hope not.
Even though I'm independently wealthy that 300 euros a month is always well spent on Cohibas.

[Lamps]

10,000 at the march today, there's life in this baby yet.

Cowen is a dead man walking

[ANVIL]

10,000 at the march today, there's life in this baby yet.

Cowen is a dead man walking

Agreed - one U-turn on a budget is understandable but two is inexcusable.
However with Cowen a busted flush there'll be no talk of a second Lisbon vote in the near future.
Every cloud has a silver lining.

[Lamps]

Agreed - one U-turn on a budget is understandable but two is inexcusable.
However with Cowen a busted flush there'll be no talk of a second Lisbon vote in the near future.
Every cloud has a silver lining.

There'll be another with the class sizes coming soon.

Great entertainment all the same. If Gormless had a brain, he'd be out the gap.