The Taoiseach is signalling there will be no re-imbursement of money to people who are getting their discretionary medical card returned.

Enda Kenny has faced a barage of questions again in the Dáil following the decision yesterday to return 15,000 cards taken away since 2011. Opposition parties highlighted some cases of thousands of euro being spent by families after cards were withdrawn.

But Enda Kenny would not bow to calls for such money to be refunded.

The Communications Minister says he believes the government simply "cannot afford" to compensate people for the loss of medical cards.

Pat Rabbitte says the u-turn was the right decision but there is no room to refund people for medical costs.

Jonathan Irwin from the Jack and Jill Foundation has been speaking about the pressures people were put under by the withdrawals.

Take our poll - we are asking if you think medical costs should be refunded to those who lost cards?