This article is from page 4 of the 2013-11-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A LARGE crowd turned out in Dublin on Saturday to support eight-yearold Clonlara boy Ronan Woodhouse in his protest walk from Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) offices on Finglas to the Dáil.
Ronan, who has down syndrome as well as 13 other related illnesses, lost his discretionary medical card earlier this year and despite a review of his case, the HSE has refused to grant his card.
Ronan’s mother, Noreen Keane, handed in letters of protest at the PCRS offices and at the Dáil, but Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG), had no representative at the Dáil on Saturday to receive the letter.
According to Noreen, the cost of medication, therapy and doctor visits for Ronan costs an average of € 2,300 per month. She says that the removal of her son’s medical card is putting his life at risk.
“Ronan walked about four miles of the protest himself, which was great going. I had contacted all the members of the Oireachtas an the Taoiseach but no one was there to meet us,” said Noreen.
“We have another meeting with the HSE on Friday and we will see what comes out of that. Whatever happens, I won’t be giving up this campaign – I can’t afford to do it. It’s not just Ronan either, we were joined by a number of parents in the same position on Saturday whose cards have also been taken.
“I’m only meeting the HSE on Friday on the condition that the medical card is up for discussion. They have paid so much lip service to this – the HSE and the Government – there is no point in them meeting us if the medical card is not up for discussion.”
Following the walk on Saturday both the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) and the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) have released statement supporting people who have lost their discretionary medical card.
“I have to keep going with this campaign, the only way that seems to get their attention is to embarrass them into listening. So that’s what I’m going to have to do. I’m going to shame them into it,” said Noreen.
“It is astounding that I have to exploit my child and my child’s illness to get them to listen. Something is wrong with that. That is not something that I do comfortable but how else am I going to make them listen.”