Coalition own goal in cards debacle

It did not take long. The suspension of the discretionary medical card review came only six days after voters punished the Government in local and European elections.

The move is all too tardy to avert catastrophe for Eamon Gilmore and big council seat losses for Fine Gael. But it stands as an implicit recognition by the Coalition of the damage wrought by the poorly managed review.

It was always going to be difficult to defend the initiative during an election campaign. From the Government’s perspective, the challenge was greatly magnified by basic, self-inflicted error.

The Opposition seized on news that cardholders, their parents and their carers were being asked if they were still suffering from incurable diseases and permanent disabilities.

With voters in no mood to look kindly on Government cuts, it caused immense political damage.

Yet this was no surprise. Public anxiety over medical card entitlements has been a cause of concern for Government TDs for many months.

This was particularly so on the Fine Gael benches. Even before the election campaign began in earnest, Taoiseach Enda Kenny recognised at a pre-Easter meeting with his Ministers that the lack of availability of medical cards was one of the top three questions on the doorsteps.

"The Government is very aware of the public concern in relation to the issue of medical cards," said the Department of Health last evening. This was no overstatement and prompted Fianna Fáil claims that the Government had finally responded to "public outrage and backbench panic".

Free medical cards

Moreover, it all comes at a time when the Coalition had hoped to take some benefit from the incoming scheme to provide free medical cards for children aged six and under.

The entire affair has further undermined the authority of embattled Minister for Health James Reilly, who is already under acute pressure as Kenny prepares to reshuffle the Cabinet in coming weeks.

Neither will it help Minister of State for Health Alex White in his campaign to succeed Gilmore as Labour leader.

Although the Health portfolio is never easy, the mismanagement of the review raised valid questions over the Coalition’s basic competence.