The withdrawal of medical cards from people with disabilities when they begin work is to be raised at Cabinet level "almost immediately" by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney.
The Tánaiste was speaking at the launch of the FÁS Employee Retention Grant scheme and the Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin yesterday when the issue was brought to her attention.
She said the fact that people with disabilities often lost their medical card when they started work did not make sense and was a disincentive to their entering the workforce.
Departing from her scripted speech, the Tánaiste said she hoped to raise the matter with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, "almost immediately".
"FÁS research into this has indicated the loss of a medical card to people with disabilities is a disincentive to taking up work," said a spokesman for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment last night. "For some people, the medical card may be essential to them."