IRELAND
Irish Examiner
By Conor Ryan
Investigative Correspondent
Justice for Magdalenes has strongly criticised draft legislation that deals with the entitlements of those given compensation for their suffering in the laundries.
JFM said the heads of bill fell far short of what had been recommended to the Government and limited the key medical entitlements that were supposed to be available.
The draft bill allows for a certain level of free medical care to those who receive ex-gratia payments.
However, the way the benefits are parsed means they are actually more restrictive than the established medical card (HAA) scheme.
“Important services which are missing from the bill include complementary therapies, high-tech drugs, and home support to assist with household tasks,” JFM research said in a statement. “The bill also requires a GP referral for counselling, which is not necessary under the HAA card scheme.”
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