Trust not yet restored despite amendments

WITH THE MARCHERS:"TRUST" WAS a word repeated by older people at the medical card rally yesterday. It was clear that despite amendments to the over 70s medical card scheme, faith in the Government had not been restored.

“They have lost my trust. They changed their minds so often in the last week . . . Give me one good reason why I might think they would follow through,” said Paddy Murray, a man over 70 who had taken the early morning train from Limerick at 7.30am yesterday along with three other men.

“Why I am here is a complete breach of trust and that is the bottom line,” said Derek Neville another man over 70 from Limerick.

He was not convinced by the change to the over 70s medical card Budget measure announced on Tuesday.

“Who’d trust them that they won’t roll back further in six month’s time with a supplementary budget,” Mr Neville said. “If Bertie Ahern was still taoiseach this wouldn’t have happened.”

Alan Morgan (62), who left his Waterford home at 6.45am yesterday to get to the march was not convinced by the amendment which leaves only the top 5 per cent without a card.

“Can you imagine a millionaire going into accident and emergency and mixing with us?” he asked.

The concession on the issues was to “soften the blow and get the backbenchers on side,” said pensioner Theresa Humphries from Drumcondra in Dublin.

“If it is not this they are after now it would be something else,” said Catherine Coine (77) of Rathfarnham in Dublin who was at the rally with her 67-year-old nephew.

Fianna Fáil’s reliable older vote has also been seriously damaged, said many of the older people.

“At this stage they would have to do some serious fixing which is not beyond them,” Mr Neville said of his vote.

Jim and Anne Coffey of Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, both aged 76, said Fianna Fáil “would not get people’s support back” as they had “made an awful bags of it in the beginning”.

“I never trusted Fianna Fail who promised €300 a week for pensioners before the last election and it was never going to come,” Alan Morgan said.

Most people would not vote for Fianna Fáil or the Greens but would hate to vote for Fine Gael and Labour, said 73-year-old Helen Ekins from a 350-member active retirement association in Killiney in Dublin.

“I am 75 years of age. I have complaints and need a medical card. I don’t think they will be forgiven,” said Carmel Higgins, Ballyfermot in Dublin.

However, the Greens had also stirred anger from its older voters by supporting the Government’s measure.

“I am utterly disgusted with the Greens as I always gave them my number one. I don’t know who is left to vote for,” said Patricia O’Sullivan, from Dublin.

Many of the older people seemed angry over the principle. While reassured by changes to the Budget measure they wanted medical cards for all.

“It’s very miserly and shouldn’t happen. We are not targets any more,” said Frances Boldon (70), Dublin.

Connie Scanlon (75), Tallaght, said she meant what she said on the placard she held, which read: “Just shoot us it will be quicker.”

However, one Dublin man who was over 70 and did not want to give his name over fears he would be over the threshold.

“I have a pension from the Government and corporation, and the widower’s pension and I am worried,” he said. “If the people let them away with this now, it will be bus passes and children’s allowance next” he said.

Many of the older people felt they were entitled to the medical card after paying such high taxes in the past.

“We are the people who paid 60 pence in the pound, children’s university fees, scrimped and scraped and all the other tightening of our belts with Charlie Haughey,” Patricia O’Sullivan from Dublin said.