A campaigner on medical cards says he is not surprised by the findings of an expert panel, which found that it is not possible to allocate cards on the basis of medical conditions or illnesses.

The group was unable to devise suitable criteria, despite examining a wide variety of options that placed the patient at the centre of consideration.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has moved to reassure those who have had discretionary medical cards reinstated, saying they would be extended for people for as long as they need them.

Pat Clarke - CEO of Down Syndrome Ireland - told Newstalk Breakfast earlier that he is not surprised by the finding of the expert panel, but welcomes Minister Varadkar's statement:

The 70-page unpublished report is said to show that the panel of 23 experts adjudged a comprehensive list of illnesses that would be considered when deciding eligibility for a medical card would be impractical due to the vast range of illnesses and the degrees of severity within each of those illnesses.

The panel found that the current system works, although has imperfections. Recommendations were made to right these issues. The panel recommended that any reform to the medical card system should be as part of free GP care for all.

The report also found that the rules regarding the awarding of discretionary medical cards are inefficient and are not applied uniformly across Ireland.

The current system decides on eligibility for medical cards based on income.

The panel was set up in May in the wake of an ongoing controversy over the removal of discretionary medical cards.