There was much criticism of Government yesterday when it was announced that eligibility guidelines for medical cards will not be broadened until 2003.
A number of groups in their pre-budget submissions had urged that the guidelines be changed immediately to increase the number of families on low incomes who would qualify for medical cards.
A guarantee was given in the new national health strategy published on Monday that "significant improvements will be made in the income guidelines in order to increase the number of persons on low incomes who are eligible for a medical card". While a deadline for the extension was not given, it had raised expectations funding would be provided for the extension of the scheme in the budget.
Mr John Monaghan, chairperson of the National Social Policy Committee of the St Vincent de Paul Society, said the news was extremely disappointing. "We were very confident eligibility would be extended this year. This is just a retrograde step," he said.
He said more families on the minimum wage were turning to the St Vincent de Paul for money for doctors' bills and medication.
"And more and more it's happening that people, particularly women, as a result are not going to their doctor and we would be very concerned for their health".
"The idea that this will be postponed for another year is just not acceptable," he said.
At present a married couple with two children earning a little over £9,000 a year does not qualify for a medical card, he said. "That in this day and age is just not acceptable," he added.
"And in the context of a £10 billion health plan rolling out, it seems incomprehensible to us that money could not be found to immediately look after the more vulnerable people in the community".
Ms Sheila Cronin, the director of CORI's (Conference of Religious of Ireland) health care office, said the Government had made "a wrong judgment call".
She said the new health strategy prided itself on being based on principles of equity, fairness and people-centredness. "This decision is most certainly not based on fairness," she said.
She urged the Government to reconsider its decision.
Mr Martin said he planned to extend medical card eligibility to 200,000 extra people, beginning in 2003. The timeframe would depend on "budgetary considerations", he said.
Earlier this year the chief medical officer of the Department of Health Dr Jim Kiely, in his annual report, said consideration should be given to providing medical cards to all children under five.