Up to 15,000 protest over medical cards

Up to 15,000 people protested outside the Dáil today against the changes to the over 70s medical card scheme.

The rally was organised by the Senior Citizens Parliament ahead of tonight's Dáil vote on a Fine Gael motion calling on the Government to retain the right to medical cards for all over 70s.

People travelled from all over the country to attend the lunchtime march including Kinsale, Limerick, Cork and Mayo.

Minister for Older People Maire Hoctor was booed and heckled as she tried to speak to and reassure the crowd. People shouted "out, out" and "lies" as she spoke. Half way through her speech the minister asked one of the organisers "do you want me to continue?"

Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe was also not well received by the gathering and people were heard to shout "on your bike" and "what about the vote" and "do it tonight."

Mr Cuffe said he was there on behalf of the Green Party to apologise and to listen. The Green Party would never take older people for granted again, he said.

People would have a simple choice in tonight's vote either yes or no, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny told the crowd.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore told the rally his party was against the "shameful decision made last Wednesday."

The biggest cheer was for independent TD Finian McGrath who withdrew his Government support over the medical card issue. Mr McGrath said he spoke on behalf of independent TD Tony Gregory who would also be voting against the Government tonight.

Former Socialist TD Joe Higgins, Sinn Fein TD Caoimhín Ó Caoiláin and People Before Profit representative Richard Boyd Barrett also addressed those gathered.

People were urged by some non-political speakers to "get even" at next year's elections and "use your vote".

Yesterday, almost 2,000 elderly people yesterday filled a city centre church to show their solidarity and oppose plans to scrap free medical care for some of the country’s most vulnerable. Just hours earlier, the Government was forced into an embarrassing climbdown over controversial plans to abolish automatic free health care for the over-70s.

After a threatened backbench revolt, resignations and a massive public outcry, Taoiseach Brian Cowen dramatically reversed last week’s Budget reform.

“I regret the fact that this caused the anxiety and the stress that it did,” he said.

Revised proposals to quell the deepening crisis within Government ranks will now see just the wealthiest 5 per cent of over-70s losing their right to free medical care.

Only couples with incomes of more than €73,000 and single pensioners with incomes of over €36,500 a year will have to pay for their health treatment.

Despite the Government move, angry pensioners turned out en masse at an Age Action meeting yesterday that was moved from a hotel to St Andrew’s Church on Westland Row.

The crowd unanimously backed a motion calling on the Government to reverse its decision to abolish the automatic right to the medical card for people over-70.

Fianna Fail’s junior health minister, John Moloney, was booed and heckled as he tried to speak to the congregation from the altar, and eventually left.

The debate on the Fine Gael motion calling for the reversal of the over-70s medical card scheme started last night, with a vote expected today.

The Government's Dáil majority was cut from 12 to eight last night with the defection of Independent TD, Finian McGrath who joined Wicklow TD Joe Behan, who resigned from Fianna Fáil last week, on the Opposition side of the House.

Dublin's third level students also took to the streets today to demonstrate their anger at proposals by Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe to reintroduce third level tuition fees.

Thousands of protesters met at the Gardens of Remembrance on Parnell Square at 1.30pm and marched to Leinster House. Opposition members and USI President Shane Kelly addressed the crowd.