The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament has hit out at the decision by the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, to abolish the entitlement to a medical card for people over 70.

According to the group, there are 350,084 people over 70 who have medical cards and they represent just 8.07% of the total population.

The idea that all older people will now be means tested to retain the card they already have "is a retrograde step and we question whether it will cost more than it is going to save".

"Our understanding is that up to 90% of older people will still qualify for a medical card so what will this ‘elaborate clerical exercise’ achieve?

"This step has broken faith with promises made to older people."

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