A FIANNA FAIL TD with a degenerative illness is lobbying health minister Mary Harney and the Oireachtas health committee for all people with motor neurone disease to be automatically given medical cards.

Kildare North TD Michael Fitzpatrick, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in February said: "I know what I have and I know what the consequences are so I just try to think about living rather than dying."

Fitzpatrick wrote to Harney last month asking her to automatically grant medical cards to people with the disease. And even though she responded with a letter outlining that medical cards are allocated on the basis of a means test, he is set to intensify his efforts to have the system changed.

He said, "I have also written to the chairman of the health committee in the Oireachtas, Seán Ó Fearghail, outlining my concerns. The issue was raised some time ago at the health committee but it didn't go any further. So I will raise it again when the Dáil resumes and pursue it further."

Fitzpatrick went to his local doctor in Clane last December as he was unable to lift up his right arm when trying to put up Christmas decorations.

After a further appointment at the Hermitage Clinic in Lucan, he was referred to St James' Hospital in Dublin and was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in early February.

Motor neurone is a progressive disease with no known cure. Only one in 10 people survive it for 10 years or more.

But 67-year-old Fitzpatrick, who was elected to the Dáil for the first time at the 2007 general election, has vowed to continue working.

He said, "I am doing fine although my right arm was affected badly by it. But I am continuing to work in the constituency and I feel well for someone who has a terminal illness. I have a job to do here that I was elected to do and I intend to keep doing it as long as possible."

He claimed that Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been supportive over the past few months and he has also talked to Brian Lenihan about his illness.

"Brian and I both recognise that we both have different illnesses but we have talked to each other about our experiences.

"And I had a very useful chat with Enda Kenny recently. I happened to be walking along beside Enda on the day of Dermot Earley's funeral when he spoke to me about it and we had a great chat."