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The Dáil will debate banning sunbeds for under 18s. Shutterstock

Children using sunbeds, the new broadcasting charge and HSE grants

It’s the first day back in the Dáil after the Easter break, so what’s happening?

WHAT’S GOING ON in Leinster House?

Every day the Dáil and Seanad are sitting, TheJournal.ie brings you the most comprehensive guide to what our lawmakers are getting up to in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

So, here is what we can expect to be happening in the Dáil, Seanad and Committee rooms today…

3 things we’ll be keeping an eye on

  • The Finance Committee will resume its discussions on mortgage arrears in Room 3 today. Lorcan O’Connor, Director of the Insolvency Service of Ireland, will address the committee at 10 amPatrick Honohan, Governor of the Central Bank, will be interviewed at 3 pm.
  • As the Garda Representative Association annual conference continues in Killarney, Justice Minister Alan Shatter will be answering questions related to his department at 2.30 pm.
  • Leaders’ Questions will be happening at 4.33 pm today. Following the Cabinet meeting on water charges this morning, there should be plenty to talk about.

Everything else that’s happening in the Dáil

  • Topical Issues will be discussed at 3.45 pm, where everything and anything will come up.
  • The Order of Business will be read at 4.54 pm.
  • Following this, the Public Health (Sunbeds)  Bill 2013 and the Children First Bill 2014 will be discussed from 5.24 pm. The former looks at banning sunbeds for people under the age of 18 and the latter proposes better provision for the care and protection of children.
  • During Private Members Business at 7.30 pm, the Technical Group will put forward a motion on the “current housing and homelessness emergency in the country” whereby a shortage in housing has led to it becoming increasingly unaffordable.
  • The Dáil will adjourn at 9 pm.

Everything happening in the Seanad

1304618376_tumbleweed-gif

The Seanad is adjourned until 7 May. (Pic: Tumbleweed via GifBin.com)

Everything else that’s happening in the Committees

Here’s how to watch what’s going on in Leinster House today:

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9 Comments
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    Mute Gizmo mac
    Favourite Gizmo mac
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    May 12th 2014, 4:00 PM

    “No he’s fine again, just a 24hr thing” inconsiderate incompetent plebs!

    1969
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    Mute Pasceasy
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    May 12th 2014, 4:34 PM

    Any time you ring or go into one of the places run by civil servants, you have a 90% chance of speaking to an arrogant,incompetent fool..

    1105
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    Mute Thors Big Hammer
    Favourite Thors Big Hammer
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    May 12th 2014, 4:50 PM

    What is the basis for them figures?

    81
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    Mute scaldbag
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    May 12th 2014, 5:15 PM

    And the other 10% are out on a paid sick day.

    682
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    Mute Winston Teardrops
    Favourite Winston Teardrops
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    May 12th 2014, 5:23 PM

    Mostly fine now but comes on in cold weather. Go bhfóire Dia orainn with ‘health’ workers like that. Fixing the system is not principally a spending question. This is more evidence of that.

    117
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    Mute Shane Kearney
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    May 12th 2014, 5:24 PM

    Or on one of their 2 hour, middle of the day lunchbreaks

    248
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    Mute Helen O Neill
    Favourite Helen O Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 11:21 PM

    This is why medical cards are being taken away. To fund free GP care for under 6s who are healthy and well. http://youtube.com/watch?v=vct3y8

    102
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    Mute Donal Costello
    Favourite Donal Costello
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    May 12th 2014, 3:53 PM

    How can a health service be so inept??

    888
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    Mute Emily Elephant
    Favourite Emily Elephant
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    May 12th 2014, 4:09 PM

    Some days I think that it’s only possible by a special effort. Then I look at some of the people at the top of the HSE and think that it’s astonishing that anything works at all.

    591
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    Mute Ivorpabst
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    May 12th 2014, 4:57 PM

    and insensitive.

    226
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    Mute Fozz
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    May 12th 2014, 6:13 PM

    The Health Service isn’t inept,…it isn’t anything.
    There are people in it who are inept.
    In this case they should locate the person at fault and discipline/fire them. But of course we know that’s not how union workers operate…

    184
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    May 12th 2014, 7:12 PM

    Donal the reason the health service is inept is simple..just two words explains it all..James Reilly.

    106
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    Mute mmz
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    May 12th 2014, 7:36 PM

    You forget that the other major tactic of any government cutback campaign is to deliberately understaff the front end workers so that they will never get to deal with the backlog…..to understand the scale of this just imagine the most cynical way of running a government and then double the cynicism to understand the depths of administrative depravity Irish politicians set up for clerical workers doing what the government really does not want doing but feels it has to make a show of trying….and when those stressed workers go sick no one replaces them…..ambulance crews, nurses, social workers, gardai, firemen, medical card clerical workers….you name it.

    83
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    Mute George Salter
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    May 12th 2014, 8:56 PM

    Gus, the health service has been unfit for purpose since well before James Reilly. Not defending him at all, but do the names Harney, Cowen, Martin not ring any bells?

    118
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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    May 12th 2014, 9:16 PM

    Gus,
    Didn’t want o mention his name gates me frothing at the mouth with rage, with an example like him at the top any wonder that HSE is still chaotic

    21
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    Mute sean
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    May 12th 2014, 9:58 PM

    The call centre was outsourced, probably not even in a union.

    http://www.imt.ie/news/2011/08/hse-issues-tender-for-pcrs-call-service.html

    Haters will hate.

    24
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    Mute John Mcloughlin
    Favourite John Mcloughlin
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    May 12th 2014, 11:43 PM

    Oh! Yes it can

    1
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    Mute Shane Bradley
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    May 13th 2014, 4:44 AM

    That’s a bit silly… The ineptness of the HSE stems back well before JR… From it’s inception, it has been dogged with incompetence and inability to use its resources effectively (when it had resources). Now in these economically straitened times- officials are under, I suspect, horrific pressure to keep costs down that we have this utterly outlandish/ disgraceful and absurd situation….with a parent bring asked ‘Is your son still Down syndrome?

    I am not an apologist for JR but health seems to be the brief most difficult to manage- as demands outstrip resources hugely, bureaucracy undermines efficiency and conflicting needs of stakeholders are on a collision course…. All at a time when the overriding priority of the Government is to reduce spend. Even the most competent manager and inspiring leader imaginable would struggle with this one.

    12
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    Mute Brendan Wall
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    May 13th 2014, 5:00 PM

    Is this a secret society??

    This site contains information, news and advice for healthcare professionals.
    You have informed us that you are not a healthcare professional and therefore we are unable to provide you with access to this site.

    1
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    Mute Gerard Casserly
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    May 12th 2014, 3:53 PM

    Oh my God……

    723
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    Mute Karen Mulreid
    Favourite Karen Mulreid
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    May 12th 2014, 4:19 PM

    I’m so appalled by this. What a stressful thing for this family to go through. How dare they ask her to prove that the child still had DS, who thought it was a question that needed to be asked? Vile.

    I doubt anybody from the HSE or the Government is reading this but if they are I want to say this: These free GP cards for under sixes that you’re all crowing about? I don’t want mine. I have a one year old son, we are a single income family and we have the same bills as everyone else so free medical care would be a help. But I don’t want that GP card if it means someone like the little chap in this article is being denied medical care. I’ve been to the doctor once in the past 12 months with my son. Thankfully he is healthy and has no long term medical conditions. He doesn’t need a GP card and he certainly doesn’t need a GP card at the expense of someone else who has an actual medical condition. So take my son’s card, the one that you’re all boasting about, and give it to the child in this article.

    I am heartsick for this mother, I think we’ve really reached a new low today.

    686
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    Mute Richard Powell
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    May 12th 2014, 3:55 PM

    Wow that’s disgusting. Does your son still have Down syndrome? Are they for real?!!

    653
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    May 12th 2014, 5:16 PM

    I wonder would they ask Enda, If he was paid too much and a 50% cut could be arranged!

    133
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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    May 12th 2014, 4:08 PM

    Anybody working in the “Health Service” who has asked the question “does your son still have Downs Syndrome” should be fired immediately. There is no way they should be working in health. I would be concerned with such a person handling the simplest of tasks, let alone a job which can impact on the health of people!

    568
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    Mute anfearbocht
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    May 12th 2014, 5:35 PM

    Agreed. Any person asking that question has serious intellectual problems.

    207
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    Mute Myles
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    May 12th 2014, 5:42 PM

    I have to agree with you.

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    Mute Tinker Taylor
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    May 12th 2014, 7:13 PM

    The HSE staffer probably thought they were asking for the return of the DVD sequel to the China Syndrome. Its the only logical explanation that doesn’t involve the person in the HSE being a complete moron.

    46
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    Mute Brian O'Sullivan
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    May 12th 2014, 5:02 PM

    The loss of the original medical card application almost worries me more.

    It’s got names, an address, contact telephone numbers, PPS numbers, financial and property details, proof of income, a record of expenses and outgoings (including regular medical costs)… All that’s missing is a form of ID, bank account details, and your PIN!

    I hope the Data Protection Commissioner follow up on this, because while I accept that mistakes can happen, information like that needs to be handled with much greater care and shouldn’t be lost.

    547
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    Mute James Comerford
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    May 12th 2014, 5:26 PM

    I can utterly guarantee you, nothing was ‘lost’ I would near put money on it that first rounders are binned in the hopes that the person doesnt reapply or just ‘goes away’. This is the same for many departments. And is nothing new to what ive experience in the past.

    367
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    Mute ragnar daneskold
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    May 12th 2014, 6:00 PM

    Amazing anyone gets so upset about this.
    The Gaurds regulary “lose” gun liscense applications the length and breath of the 26 counties…Trivial stuff really,
    I mean who would be botherd about name,address,photograph with signiture,type of gun,caliber,ammo amount,security storage questions,mental health check up and results,doctors name and on what medicatrions if any
    Happens in every division about a dozen times a year with new applications,and they aren’t upset about this at all,that even their internal procedures might need a tad tweaking maybe to prevent loss of paperwork??
    JWere this to happen in the private secto there would be Hell to pay tht someones file went lost an internal audit of procedures and proably a visit by the data comissioners officers to go over everything with a micro tooth comb for other breaches of data storage.
    ust shows the utter contempt public bodies in this country have for peoples sensitive personal data.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    May 12th 2014, 9:14 PM

    Brian,
    Well said, any dept handling this kind of info should have a system which provides a paper trial. Find it incredible that they are unable to discover where application was lost.
    On second thoughts maybe not so incredible.

    53
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    Mute Jack Dermody
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    May 13th 2014, 1:41 AM

    Actually AICS a computer system with proper archiving is better… Paper goes missing all the time. Server Computer system usually ahve a data wharehouse attached which records information even if deleted straight away. Computer systems are then usually backed up again every night with the backup stored in a secure offsite area/vault.
    This is why they are very hard to cover up later as someone would need access to all the back ups, retrieve them (they are usually on write once material copy on to a system, remove and reindex so the sequence numbers match).
    With paper just put into the shreadder…

    6
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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    May 12th 2014, 4:07 PM

    My brother was once asked if he was pregnant.

    393
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    Mute Mary Gilsenan
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    May 12th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Sorry Emily but i had to laugh at that. I hope he told them yes :)

    168
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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    May 12th 2014, 4:59 PM

    He claims that his exact words were “I feckin’ hope so. I’ll make a fortune.” But that may possibly have been what he wished he’d said.

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    Mute Shane Cormac O'Duibhleachain
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    May 12th 2014, 5:49 PM

    Was he? Or was it trapped wind.

    60
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    Mute anfearbocht
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    May 12th 2014, 5:51 PM

    I know the feeling. A gallon a day can make you look like that Ok.

    32
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    Mute Barry Humphreys
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    May 12th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Person who signed for original application should be severely reprimanded, just pure laziness.

    358
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    Mute Patricia Donovan
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    May 12th 2014, 4:33 PM

    The person who signed for it works in post room. It’s not his/her fault if it gets lost when it’s handed into office. Registered post is signed by post room & either given to person it’s addressed to or the supervisor of section. Whoever receives it in office also signs for it. Stuff gets lost there all the time. Staff are hardworking but the place is badly organised.

    90
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    Mute Martin Kavanagh
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    May 12th 2014, 5:53 PM

    If the staff were hard working it wouldn’t be badly organised.

    145
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    Mute Tommy Harper
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    May 12th 2014, 4:29 PM

    It’s obsurd giving medical cards to healthy under 6′s, and taking the sickest children’s away. It’s actually sickening.

    308
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    Mute P O' Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 3:56 PM

    Disgraceful question to ask anyone. Just shows what inconsiderate, ignorant and unaccountable feckers are in this country.

    304
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    Mute Karl Aisbitt
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    May 12th 2014, 3:55 PM

    Remember this story when those odious toads Fine Gael come knocking at your door looking for a vote !

    277
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    Mute Susanne Morgan
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    May 12th 2014, 5:05 PM

    The people working in the HSE aren’t politicians …. they will not be changed in an election. If they are showing themselves to be useless at their jobs (ie reading, file minding, etc) complain to their bosses/ministers/ombudsman …. with names, it’s the only way they/their work can be assessed.

    108
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    May 12th 2014, 5:30 PM

    They are following government policy to review who gets medical cards Susanne.

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    Mute Karl Aisbitt
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    May 12th 2014, 5:57 PM

    Susan Morgan I think your living in cuckoo land ! All directives come from the minister of health !

    33
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    Mute Susanne Morgan
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    May 12th 2014, 8:02 PM

    Karl, methinks you might have misunderstood my comment – losing files and asking stupid/insensitive questions is not a directive from the minister for health. Reviewing medical cards is and like every important job it should be done by competent people. People who have the skills to do this properly. Perhaps in some cases a course in Customer Service would suffice ….

    36
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    Mute sean
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    May 12th 2014, 10:25 PM

    Seeing as they are Customer service contractors Susanne they probably did have.

    http://www.imt.ie/news/2011/08/hse-issues-tender-for-pcrs-call-service.html

    But blame the public service anyway, people always do.

    11
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    Mute steve crowley
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    May 12th 2014, 4:45 PM

    We received the same review letter for my mother who has Multiple Sclerosis , which asked had her condition improved and to provide proof of illness….i must have read it a hundred times i could not believe what i was reading…i,m still raging over it…

    275
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    Mute Norma Kealy
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    May 12th 2014, 5:28 PM

    My dad was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease last October..a rare, neurological life limiting condition. Basically he is terminally ill..he was refused a medical card a few weeks ago. It makes me so angry that we have to deal with this bullshit as we try to deal with everything else. Its so stressful.

    281
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    Mute Mike O Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 6:46 PM

    Hi Norma, Very sorry to hear about your Dad. My Dad has the same illness, was diagnosed last July. We were approved for a card, this is what we did.
    Contact every local representative (TD, councillor) in the area and ask for a letter of support to submit the application (now appeal?). In our constituency, we had a TD who used to work in dept where cards were issued and her office was very useful. The main advice was to contact the social worker who deals with your case in the hospital (Beaumont?) and state your case. You should at least be able to get a temporary card (6 months)? Can’t believe you’ve been turned down. The cost of the special drinks, medications, breathing machine, special bed, home care is enormous. Kick up a big stink about it, it’s disgraceful not to be approved for what has to be the worst incurable illness you can get.

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    Mute Norma Kealy
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    May 12th 2014, 7:43 PM

    Thanks Mike for your reply. Am on to local reps and the TDs also. Dad has never been sick a day in his life,worked hard and paid his taxes .Now when he needs help the government says get lost. I am a nurse myself, our health system is broken beyond repair, I see it every day.like we dont have enough to worry about…..best wishes to your Dad. xx

    133
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    Mute Mike O Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 10:33 PM

    Good luck to your family too x.

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    Mute Susan Lloyd
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    May 12th 2014, 11:53 PM

    Norma contact also mnds they will help also to sort all that out with you asap

    17
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    Mute Norma Kealy
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    May 13th 2014, 6:00 AM

    Already done too Susan!

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    Mute TOP CAT
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    May 12th 2014, 3:58 PM

    Was the person who said this sent for a MRI scan????…

    230
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    Mute Jane Travers
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    May 12th 2014, 4:05 PM

    They’d still be waiting for one if they were.

    322
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    Mute Honest Tom
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    May 12th 2014, 7:26 PM

    Not too long ago I received a letter in the post, well I say I received it, it was addressed to my mother. It was advising her to book a scan to help prevent stroke. Considering she is dead 9 years I don’t think she will make it.

    152
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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 3:56 PM

    I just got sick a little bit after reading that. God help anybody planning on starting a family in this country

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    May 12th 2014, 3:58 PM

    This has made my blood boil!!!! I despise this government!!! If any of them come near my door they’ll be sorry!!

    202
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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 4:02 PM

    You do anything and you will be slated as being the bad guy. The media will take the side of the politician, as evident by the incident at the weekend

    111
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    Mute Jill Jones
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    May 12th 2014, 4:09 PM

    Question.

    Does ‘he who must not be named’ dob, own the journal?

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 12th 2014, 6:01 PM

    He may be a shareholder at some level but, surprisingly, not the owner.
    http://m.independent.ie/business/irish/thejournalie-news-website-posts-losses-of-114m-in-2012-29814418.html

    18
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    May 12th 2014, 7:18 PM

    Never thought I would say this..this country is ripe for revolution, I hope not but I fear the whole place will blow if things keep on as they are.

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    Mute Tommy English
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    May 13th 2014, 12:58 AM

    It’s not the government … it’s the HSE, which the government are in the process of winding down… The HSE that current FF leader Micheal Martin established – totally unaccountable, including for things like this.

    5
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    Mute Reg
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    May 12th 2014, 4:03 PM

    What are the chances that anyone in the department resposible for processing these claims or management charged with the supevision will be disciplined for this?

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    Mute Chris Judge
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    May 12th 2014, 4:11 PM

    Slim to none, I’d say.

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    Mute Diarmuid MacSuibhne
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    May 12th 2014, 9:10 PM

    Considering the application was denied there is no chance of anybody being reprimanded.

    20
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    Mute Ailís McKernan
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    May 12th 2014, 4:09 PM

    That is effin unbelievable. HSe is an embarrassment.

    162
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    Mute PicassoRepublic
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    May 12th 2014, 4:53 PM

    HSE may be an embarassment, however the Government make legislation, they are deciding who will qualify and who will not. Some of us start of as small voices, sounding extreme, we are accused of being racist etc, however this country is being bled dry by Welfare Tourism and Bogus Asylum Seekers and it is genuine hard pressed Irish people are the ones being excluded from Housing, Medical Cards and other entitlements.

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    Mute Seán Gallagher
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    May 12th 2014, 5:31 PM

    Picasso,

    This is what you sound like to me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55sjaEDJ65k

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    Mute Jeanette A Mcdonald
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    May 12th 2014, 8:28 PM

    O Picasso are u for real?! We’ve both Irish and non irish bleeding the system. Seriously, the poor woman and her child are the subject of the report and you comment on non irish screwing the system?!

    50
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    Mute kjholt
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    May 12th 2014, 4:11 PM

    I work in the private sector & responsibility always comes to whoever makes the call or signs off on who ever makes the call. Can you imagine for one second someone in a private sector company or organisation asking a client, (or any participant for that matter) such a crass and insensitive question. Public sector my asre, the employee which asked that question should be severely reprimanded and forbidden to talk to the public.

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    Mute Abi Dennis
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    May 12th 2014, 4:27 PM

    Some public sector workers need serious training! A few years ago my dad was getting a passport for my brother, when asked about the mothers signature on the form my dad told them she had died, instead of using a bit of tact and saying something like “ok we just need a copy of the death cert in that case” the guy just said “prove it”! Seriously how insensitive can you get!

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    Mute Silent Majority
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    May 12th 2014, 4:34 PM

    Abi, you can give them all the training you like and it’ll make no difference. If you give people jobs from which they can’t be fired, can’t be disciplined in any meaningful way, is guaranteed for life, and in which employees are rarely if ever held accountable, then this is the result.
    Have you ever felt we got a decent level of public service in this country? Our hospitals can’t treat our sick, our teachers cannot teach our young, our police cannot control crime & act instead as revenue gatherers, and all the while our taxes to pay for these shoddy services increas. Time for massive restructuring or a whole new state – no longer should taxpayers be forced to pay to maintain the lifestyles of the inept.

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    Mute Spiderman
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    May 12th 2014, 5:28 PM

    That makes me sick, I’d lose the head BIG time, God forgive me

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 12th 2014, 8:53 PM

    I work in the private sector and we’re just as stupid as everyone else. Get off your high horse and stop trying to split the populace. The politicians and high level bankers are the enemy. Not the rank and file.

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    Mute Sharon Dore
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    May 12th 2014, 11:51 PM

    Law of averages—– there will always be incompetent workers in every sector, profession, public or private!! No excuse for this scenario but I’d guess it is a question asked on a form to every person reviewing their medical card.. So a revision of the questions posed needs serious attention!! Too easy to blame “pre-printed” forms.

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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 4:03 PM

    Some naming and shaming is due

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    Mute howzatme
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    May 12th 2014, 4:05 PM

    There should me a Mensa test for all hse admin staff

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    Mute UndercoverGarda
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    May 12th 2014, 5:31 PM

    Not a mensa test, just basic common sense.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ7cAGcpueU

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 12th 2014, 5:50 PM

    They’d fail!

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    Mute McGuckin Annette
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    May 12th 2014, 7:19 PM

    It certainly says a lot about their aptitude tests.

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    Mute James Franco
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    May 12th 2014, 4:25 PM

    Surely it’s possible to track down the moron who asked this question it’s not Mi5

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    Mute Paudi Onail
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    May 12th 2014, 7:22 PM

    son’s mother showed blow the whistle on this right away and not be afraid, i’d go straight to the media with the name of the person responsible. it is the only way to put these people in their place. there are 1000s of these incidences of all sorts of things told to patients. i’ve had first hand experience on 3-4 occasions, even the GPs.

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    Mute Paudi Onail
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    May 12th 2014, 7:22 PM

    *should blow the whistle

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    Mute Chris Mackey
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    May 12th 2014, 4:26 PM

    my mother lost her medical card & was sent a form to state what courses she did in the previous year & what had see signed up for this year. I’m 55 yrs so you can guess how old she is just a hint is that she will never see 80 again so just add a few yrs on to 80. I wrote on the form What course do you suggest she do as she is over 80, had gall bladder removed, high blood pressure, colesteral etc on approx 6 tablets a day, Yes we will sent her on a course for Add Min or how to become a politician, work in the HSE, just some suggestions.

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    May 12th 2014, 4:32 PM

    I bet she could do a lot better than that shower of trollops in HSE

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    Mute Rawoc
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    May 12th 2014, 4:36 PM

    Jesus wept!!! HSE is a big organisation but surely someone has to be held accountable for the amount of incompetence and failure to meet basic levels of service at some stage. There seems to be no end to such stories from the public so how come we never see any action?

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    Mute Allan O'Shea
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    May 12th 2014, 4:03 PM

    FG make me sick. And labour. They have no interest in the welfare of our children or ourselves. There are plenty of people who have medical cards and don’t need them and plenty who need and don’t have. They are a despicable bunch of monsters.

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    Mute Claire O' Connor
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    May 12th 2014, 4:31 PM

    The person responsible for the blunder should have their contract terminated immediately and never rehired for any job requiring common sense

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    Mute Silent Majority
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    May 12th 2014, 4:03 PM

    What exactly do the hse do? We seem to spend more on these inept desk jockeys than we do on hospitals or medicine, but I don’t really understand their purpose. Of course they are public “servants” so I really shouldn’t question them at all and just be happy to pay their way through life.

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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    May 12th 2014, 4:10 PM

    The HSE is simply a money pit. A bloody black hole sucking the money out of the tax payer for sweet FA in return

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    Mute Dara Kelleher
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    May 12th 2014, 4:12 PM

    Needy family’s being denied as usual when I’m here living abroad and know of dozens of people (not me) cheating the system and getting medical cards and dole payments … Makes me very angry!!

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    Mute Patrick Jones
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    May 12th 2014, 4:49 PM

    Cabbage head

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    Mute Sean Barry
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    May 12th 2014, 4:46 PM

    This is a new low for the FG/Labour government in their quest to reduce medical card numbers, shame on them.

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 12th 2014, 5:36 PM

    Isn’t it convenient how many files, letters, receipts and applications the HSE and the Dept. of Social Protection manage to “lose” between them every year. “We don’t keep that information on file” is another favourite of theirs. And yet if you owe them 1 single euro they manage to suddenly find information about you that even you didn’t know existed in.your family tree.
    One wound wonder if they’re incredibly incompetent or incredible liars but personally i think it’s a mix of the two.

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    Mute Paudi Onail
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    May 12th 2014, 7:27 PM

    bad liars in most cases. FOI letters going missing, not sent out from requested unit but they then ask the doctors for the info then doctors pretend to send it out first time, second time is mostly lucky when the request is from someone other than the patient i.e. from someone they can’t f*** about with. So FOI, why aren’t they passing on the info requested rather than leaving it to doctors etc to pass on to patient??? Should it not be given to FOI unit and let them pass it on?

    Dodgy through and through, protecting their own ar**** every time, they wouldnt have to if they performed their jobs correctly.

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    Mute Brendan Daly
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    May 12th 2014, 4:24 PM

    At the risk of getting slated, I have a question, the mother says that it should not be means tested as the card is for the child and not the family. I disagree, if they can afford to pay, then pay. Otherwise if say, Michael o Leary wife has an ill child, that child should get a medical card also cause it is not for Michael or his family. Red thumbs and abuse now please

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    Mute stephen power
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    May 12th 2014, 4:35 PM

    Brendan surely you can understand that the child in question has some medical problems.you selfish git

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    Mute Brendan Daly
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    May 12th 2014, 4:39 PM

    I do not question the child’s medical problems, my question is if the family can afford to pay, then they should, rather than some other kids family who cannot. If that makes me a selfish git, then I guess I am.

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    Mute Brendan Daly
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    May 12th 2014, 4:46 PM

    Let me clarify something, I agree it was a really stupid question to ask if the child was still ill, but I find it very odd that the mother goes on to say that the medical card should not be means tested, in my opinion, of course it should be means tested

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    Mute CAK
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    May 12th 2014, 7:40 PM

    I think she was referring to the rigmarole whereby she has to submit tons and tons of evidence on their finances to try and get the card in the first place and then this happens on top of it. I submitted one recently and it was a massive effort to gather all the literature needed and then I was also told my supporting information was lost and I had to do it all again. I am just one person so it must be a torture to supply the information over and over again for a family.

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    Mute Brendan Daly
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    May 12th 2014, 8:05 PM

    @cak, that may very well be the case but what if they are able to afford to pay, do you think it is correct that they should have a medical card? Thing is she didn’t speak of the difficulties getting all the documentation, from the article, she just said it should not be means tested as is not for her or rest of her family

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    Mute Shane Bradley
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    May 13th 2014, 4:53 AM

    Fair comment! It is a difficult one- Should state support be universal (eg child benefit) or related to income? The problem with the latter, which to me makes more sense (support only to those who need it) is finding an equitable and fair system of assessing need. Means testing is fraught with difficulties and open to fraud. Anyone know of any system used elsewhere?

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    Mute Abi Dennis
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    May 12th 2014, 4:20 PM

    Ah Jesus if this wasn’t so serious it would be comical!

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    Mute Daddy De La Noche
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    May 12th 2014, 4:55 PM

    I think the health service in this country is horrific, I keep learning who incompetent and inept these people are, I don’t know how they got qualifications to get these jobs, but a toddler could run things better.

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    Mute Paul Murphy
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    May 12th 2014, 4:56 PM

    This country is getting worse.

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    Mute Barry Humphreys
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    May 12th 2014, 4:47 PM

    @Patricia Donovan, you don’t sign for something you’re not going to be responsible for, simple as that. The whole soap opera of how many hands it goes through and how many signatures it goes through is indicative of what is wrong with certain aspects of the public sector. This is the HSE for Gods sake, people’s lives can quite literally depend on these simple things being done properly.

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    Mute una barrett
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    May 12th 2014, 11:12 PM

    That’s just the start of the suffering,when a disabled child reaches 16 they or their parents HAVE to apply for Disability Allowance.They are now refusing this allowance and we have to prove the child is not fit for work.How can a moderate -severe mentally disabled 16 year old be fit for work??If they were junkies they would get it no problem.The disabled are getting f****d around by this Goverment.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    May 12th 2014, 6:24 PM

    I would like to see the form where it asked if her child still had Down syndrome. I suspect the question was more along the lines – ‘has the health situation of your child changed since your prior application’ it would be a template and not specifically tailored to the condition in question (which is permanent). Of course the form, even with this wording is very cold and insensitive, but again, I’d still like to see the actual form/letter from the HSE.

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    Mute CAK
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    May 12th 2014, 7:37 PM

    What the form says is irrelevant. Its supposed to be assessing this persons need for a medical card based on the information provided by the family on the medical condition of the child. it is nearly more worrying if they are rejecting medical cards without even reading about why it is needed/asking for more information when they haven’t read the information that was given to them. And if they did read why it was needed then the form should not have been sent. Neither are positive situations.

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 12th 2014, 8:50 PM

    First rule of working in admin. What do I have to do to avoid processing this application.

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    Mute Gerard Keenan
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    May 12th 2014, 4:59 PM

    The HSE in a Nutshell

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    Mute Lorraine Gardiner
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    May 12th 2014, 5:25 PM

    Ireland sounds like it has a “third world” healthcare sevice?????

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    Mute Laura Quinn
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    May 12th 2014, 6:06 PM

    Can’t believe this!! I have a medical card and so does my partner and 4 year old child. I have cancer and my 4 year old has a rare condition called TSC, which I also have. She doesn’t suffer much from it but has to go to hospital quite a bit for check ups. And me well I’m in hospital quite a bit.
    What I’m trying to say is really..,. That I would gladly give my card away to some of these ppl without. Yes I need it but these ppl I think wud benefit more from it. My heart goes out to them, cause if mine was gone if really struggle.

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    Mute Jason
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    May 12th 2014, 4:50 PM

    I’ve heard it all now, Jesus Wept!!!!

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    Mute Joan Murphy
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    May 12th 2014, 4:52 PM

    But out of interest what was the reason the HSE gave her originally for refusing the child a medical card ? Seems like only one side of the story is being told .

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    Mute Lorraine Gardiner
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    May 12th 2014, 5:26 PM

    For goodness sake Joan the child has Downs!!!!!

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    Mute Seán Gallagher
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    May 12th 2014, 5:47 PM

    Lorraine,

    Genuine question, because I’m not sure even where I stand on it.

    Do you believe there are any circumstances under which a child should be denied a medical card if they have DS?

    Main reason I’m asking, is that it seems that the card was denied because of a means test (or at least that’s implied). If the family were earning vast sums of money I would rather they were denied for that reason and a family who could not afford to pay for the care received the card.

    In an ideal world then yeah give them to everyone irrespective of means and conditions, but triaging is vital and I’m not saying it’s being done in the right way, but again questioning the principle of triage is something I’m curious about.

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    Mute Lorraine Gardiner
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    May 12th 2014, 6:02 PM

    Thankfully Sean I don’t live in your country, so I don’t think I should get involved!!!!

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    Mute Seán Gallagher
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    May 12th 2014, 6:18 PM

    Well then it’s a little unfair to sit in judgement of someone who does and has an opinion on it.

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    Mute Lorraine Gardiner
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    May 12th 2014, 7:00 PM

    Good luck to you all you seem to have a “third world” service!!!!!!

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    Mute CAK
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    May 12th 2014, 7:43 PM

    Sean I would think unless the person is very very wealthy that the card should be given. If you were to calculate the costs of providing medical help for the child over its lifetime this could amount to an incredible sum of money. If the family were over the threshold but still not wealthy enough to pay this amount of money out over the childs lifetime then the card should be given. In this way means tests should be supplemented with common sense as its not just providing the card to help out when someone is on a low income. The reason is the long term expenses.

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    Mute Joan Murphy
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    May 12th 2014, 7:55 PM

    I am just wondering on what grounds was she refused the card in the first place , that’s all .

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    Mute Seán Gallagher
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    May 12th 2014, 11:34 PM

    Cak, totally agree.

    All I’d suggest is that there can be circumstances where someone may need it more.

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    Mute Jim Hartnett
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    May 12th 2014, 11:51 PM

    The very notion that you would be asked whether or not your child still had Downs is, or should be, enough to enrage any right thinking adult in this country. However as we can see, not everyone thinks like me. The Irish are the most easy race of people to turn on each other and this is proof of same.

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    Mute Martin Smith
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    May 12th 2014, 5:46 PM

    you really do wonder are civil servants given a book of excuses to use when a member of public rings to enquire about correspondence….shouldt be surprised took officials in dept justice 2 weeks to deliver a letter to shatter………another reason to outsource the complete non medical arm of the hse

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    Mute Deirdre Graham Geoghegan
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    May 12th 2014, 6:12 PM

    What kind of imbeciles work for the HSE. Ireland is supposed to be a very educated people. I DONT THINK SO. Imagine asking if little Ben still had Down syndrome. Its a disgrace, they are a disgrace, SHAME ON THEM and shame on their boss Dr James Reilly.

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    Mute Terry O'Dowd
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    May 12th 2014, 5:22 PM

    Sure wasn’t the extra chromosome fed up here with the incompetent government. It’s gone to Australia now.
    Eejits.

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    Mute Sean Macc
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    May 12th 2014, 6:05 PM

    So an untrained medical professional working in an office asked a misguided question about a genetic condition. Big deal – the answer the mother had to give was” no, it’s for life”. Maybe we should only employ medical consultants to work in HSE offices?

    Jonathan Healy got about an hour out of this non-story today too.

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    Mute Laura Smollen
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    May 12th 2014, 5:53 PM

    This is a complete disgrace! For this and for many many more reasons the Irish Democratic Party was born. Made up of ordinary people who know more about real life than overpaid elitist people in suits ever could!!
    Our aim is to introduce participatory democracy into politics, giving every person a voice all of the time! And to introduce accountability! Something unheard of in Ireland at at the moment! To recall politicians who go against all of our wishes and sack them without massive pensions!
    We need to stop this dictatorship regime! And we need your help. We are on FB. Please have a look at our page and help us to take our country back and give future generations a chance!

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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    May 12th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Sounds like a case for Charlie Flanagan. What chance?….fat to nil do I hear?

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    Mute John Hartigan
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    May 12th 2014, 4:03 PM

    Hold onn there a minute these tribunals and inquiries have to be paid for it would not in the gov interest to make banks and bond holders pay so the good irish people will have to pay gov solicitors and barristors

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    Mute Michele Savage
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    May 12th 2014, 5:17 PM

    Intransigent and archaic gate-keeping approach to ‘health service provision’. Beyond pathetic

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    Mute JF
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    May 12th 2014, 9:08 PM

    On behalf of the rest of us that have to endure the mediocrity of Reilly and his gov cohorts.. As an Irish citizen I would like to apologise to you and your family. We all paid our taxes to make sure our most vulnerable were taken care of but someone has robbed our money and given it away

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    Mute Anthony Mitchell
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    May 12th 2014, 11:31 PM

    Just when you tot the health system couldn’t steep any lower, well done HSE making a show of yourself again!!!

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    Mute Nigellus Murphius
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    May 12th 2014, 11:40 PM

    Guys yeah this is the HSE doing this to us. And the HSE is a division of the government.

    I can say for an absolute fact that the reason this person got their med card withdrawn is not a result of clerical incompetence but a financial decision based on the debt.

    The reason every over 70 yr old in the country is going through a review right now is because of the debt. If you’re a fiver over the med card is withdrawn. The reason applications are being ‘lost’ or returned for further completion after being fully checked over by independent advocates before posting is because of the debt.

    Our old and our infirm are paying the price, silently for the most part, for our silence. They don’t have the ability to do what we can do. What we are not doing.

    Every day we sit around we are complicit in this person getting their med card withdrawn and every other abuse laid on us because of the debt. I am ashamed for my inaction. I’m going down to stand outside the front gates of government buildings on Kildare St. all day every day starting this Saturday and Sunday with a banner saying something about this lying government and abusive system.

    I’m sitting here in my cosy home and after reading some of the comments about the motor neuron disease guys I felt a thing in the top of my stomach and for a split second I felt like crying.

    This is the straw for me.

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 12th 2014, 5:31 PM

    To be fair these people aren’t doctors. It’s not like you need a medical qualification to work admin. Yes they should know it’s a silly question, but some people aren’t au fait on down syndrome

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    May 12th 2014, 7:24 PM

    Stephen If thet are not au fait with DS they should not have anything to do with the Health Service

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    Mute hsianloon
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    May 12th 2014, 8:13 PM

    Why the red thumbs ? its true, people that work there are paper pushers and do not need any semblance of medical knowledge.

    But yes general knowledge and common sense is severely lacking in this particular bunch..

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    Mute hsianloon
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    May 12th 2014, 8:14 PM

    Not every paper pusher who joins the HSE is desperately passionate about health. It’s just a job for some people, and they’d work with supermacs having never seen a fried chicken/burger before, all the same to them

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 12th 2014, 8:48 PM

    It’s an administration job. If box A is not ticked etc, then x,y,z, must be done. The people who process the paperwork are most likely pushed towards making no judgement calls of their own. Most likely, it’s actively discouraged.

    Also, as far as I can recall, any paperwork that involves getting anything from the government be it a medical card, student grant etc, is a total pain in the a** to fill out.

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    Mute LiquidPaddy
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    May 12th 2014, 10:20 PM

    Who would be unaware that Down Syndrome is not something you “recover from”, are you really that naïve about how stupid the question to this family was? It’s nothing about having medical knowledge, everyone knows what Down Syndrome is.

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    Mute Stephen Browner
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    May 13th 2014, 3:00 PM

    It’s ADMIN Liquid Paddy. You’re not allowed to use common sense.

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    Mute Nigellus Murphius
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    May 13th 2014, 12:07 AM

    Guys yeah this is the HSE doing this to us. And the HSE is a division of the government.

    I can say for an absolute fact that the reason this person got their med card withdrawn is not a result of clerical incompetence but a financial decision based on the debt.

    The reason every over 70 yr old in the country is going through a review right now is because of the debt. If you’re a fiver over the med card is withdrawn. The reason applications are being ‘lost’ or returned for further completion after being fully checked over by independent advocates before posting is because of the debt.

    Our old and our disabled are paying the price, silently for the most part, for our silence. They don’t have the ability to do what we can do. What we are not doing. What I am not doing.

    Every day I sit around I are complicit in this person getting their med card withdrawn and every other abuse laid on us because of the debt. I am ashamed for my inaction. I’m going down to stand outside the front gates of government buildings on Kildare St. all day every day starting this Saturday and Sunday with a banner saying something about this lying government and abusive system. I might wear something green or red, I don’t know yet.

    I’m sitting here in my cosy home and after reading some of the comments about the motor neuron disease guys I felt a thing at the bottom of my chest and for a split second I felt like crying.

    This is the straw for me.

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    Mute Neal Ireland hello.
    Favourite Neal Ireland hello.
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    May 13th 2014, 7:13 AM

    Storm in a teacup. Obviously it was an automatically generated form or something similar. That sort of thing usually saves money, but it goes wrong every now and then. Nobody died.

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    Mute Peter William O' Brien
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    May 12th 2014, 9:41 PM

    Would make ya sick the way that they do things like this! And then the poor people in the call centre get it in the ear even though they’ve no power over what happens!

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    Mute Maura O'Grady
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    May 13th 2014, 11:31 AM

    I had a smear test recently and was asked when was you last period, I replied about 10 years ago. Next question “is there any chance you could be pregnant”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Mute Elaine Cassin
    Favourite Elaine Cassin
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    May 13th 2014, 6:48 AM

    That’s typical civil servants.. Sit behind a desk with there pale faces and chunky black cardy…. So is your child still Down’s syndrome…
    What a question to ask.. Obviously you don’t need much education for these jobs.

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    Mute Louis Hyde
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    May 12th 2014, 11:09 PM

    Unbelievable.

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    Mute Jim
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    May 12th 2014, 11:24 PM

    No he had it and gave it up wasn’t for him…
    I mean what the hell do they be thinking in these places
    I don’t like to say it but some people are just plan Stupit

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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    May 13th 2014, 2:39 AM

    The rest of Europe must think this country is a joke.its actually embarrassing. The muppet show carrys on.

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    Mute Kevin Geoghegan
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    May 13th 2014, 6:37 PM

    This reminds me the other day at the bus stop i happened to have a brief conversation with a well known civil servant. the crap he was talking about was insane. what is with these people ? or is it the job itself turns normal working minded people into inconsiderate bell ends? If it wasn’t so serious it would be laughable. ” is he still sick?” god forbid. i am lost for words.

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    Mute Nina Fee
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    May 13th 2014, 7:09 AM

    Coming from a paediatric nurse,Common sense isn’t that common.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    May 13th 2014, 10:35 AM

    Does Down Syndrome entitle you to a medical card for life?

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    Mute Teresa Hudson
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    May 13th 2014, 10:19 PM

    The office in Finglas is not a ‘public office’ and even if you have sent a registered letter and have proof of delivery that is not good enough for the HSE as they will tell you they don’t recognize the name of the person who signed. And you can’t hand deliver the application to guarantee they get it as its not a ‘public office’… A complete and utter disgrace they should be ashamed of themselves!

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    Mute Nelly Bergman
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    May 13th 2014, 2:32 PM

    Mass mailing via mailmerge, happens all the time. Nobody bothered to review the records and flag for exclusion, or perhaps their systems are so outdated that HSE can do f-all about it. Or they store records on napkins.
    This case should be highlighted to Senior Public Servants who currently demand restoration of pay. Excellent managers they are, excellent…

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    Mute Richard Powell
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    May 13th 2014, 10:01 AM

    Disgusting

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    Mute Sonya Kinsella
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    May 13th 2014, 2:23 PM

    Replies are not always posted, when I applied for my renewal (3 times I might add) I had 3 phone calls & 2-3 emails in relation to it, supposedly documents missing/not sent etc etc. I honestly think they were going to try to take my card from me, my son has a long term illness but i would have gladly declined my two babies cards just to keep his as he needs his a lot more than the other 2 as they’re very healthy young boys. It’s a disgrace the whole service! I also dealt with them over my mums application for a medical card due to her being diagnosed with cancer and the lady on the phone was so rude I called her manager to put in a complaint. In a very snotty sarcastic tone I was asked “well is your ma terminal or what? Cuz that’s the only reason we would give an regency medical card”
    Rude/arrigant/insensitive beyond belief

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    Mute Denise Schnackenberg Odier
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    Jun 13th 2014, 5:24 PM

    I hope all you idiots of voted for Obozo the clown are happy with this. This is what we’re all having to deal with, and all b/c of idiots who had very poor judgment. Duh, the poor child here will always have Down Syndrome. I hope he gets what he needs.

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    Mute Elizabeth Flynn
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    May 14th 2014, 2:01 PM

    it is si insulting to be asked this question….is your childs ‘handicap’ not better yet and when will it be better!
    Can someone instruct the staff in Soc and Family Affairs, HSE etc…that these syndromes of genetic makeup are life long conditions that we are working really hard to care for.

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    Mute Libby Fletcher
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    May 13th 2014, 10:26 PM

    The only way to hurt the government is in next weeks voting and everyone needs to vote

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