Fine Gael’s Faircare Figures Are Flawed – Andrews

“Fine Gael is involved in a desperate attempt to move the focus from the holes in the party’s “faircare” policy to questioning the number of people who do not have access to either a medical card or private health insurance," according to Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health and Children, Barry Andrews TD.

“It is the case that almost a million people (860,347) in this country are not covered either by medical cards or by private health insurance.  According to the HSE 2011 National Service Plan, 1,628,536 people are covered by medical cards. 

“According to the population bulletin published by the Central Statistics Office in September 2010, there are 4,470,700 people in the country – not 4,239,848 as Fine Gael suggests. According to the Health Insurance Authority, as of September 1^st, 2010, 2,226,761 people had health insurance cover.

“A Red C poll conducted on behalf of the Health Insurance Authority in May 2010 found that 11 percent of those covered by private health insurance also had a medical card.  Again, Fine Gael is incapable of doing simple arithmetic:

Covered by Medical Cards (HSE Service Plan, 2011):                                         1,628,536

Private Health Insurance (HIA Sep 2010):                                                       + 2,226,761

Less the Number of people with both medical card + health insurance:                  - 244,944

Total Medical Cards and Private Health Insurance                                                    3,610,353

Population (CSO Sep 2010)                                                                          4,470,700

Total with neither health insurance or medical card:                                               860,347                                                

If James Reilly cannot do simple maths, what chance is there that he can run a health service?”