Speaking after a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party yesterday, which was addressed by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Mr Carey said TDs were happy that "a better and more equitable system had been arrived at".
He said the TDs were asked to go back to voters and the party organisation to let people know the new arrangements that had been arrived at, particularly that over 95 per cent of people over 70 would retain their medical cards.
When asked if any Fianna Fáil TDs would vote or abstain in tonight's vote on the medical card issue, he said: "I am expecting that we will win the vote with a reasonable majority. I do not expect anybody to rebel."
The meeting was brought forward to 12.30pm to accommodate Mr Cowen's departure for China. It lasted much longer than scheduled, breaking up shortly after 2.30pm. Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan made a detailed address as over 30 TDs and Senators spoke.
Several described the atmosphere as cordial and businesslike, with no dissent. The most open opponents of the measure - including Noel O'Flynn, Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, Mattie McGrath and Noel Treacy - all spoke strongly in favour of the new scheme.
However, privately, a number of TDs said that the budget day measure allied to the long delay in backing down from the decision had caused immense damage to the party.
One of the most vocal critics within Fianna Fáil, Mr McGrath, yesterday said that he was very relieved when he learned the full details of the compromise solution.
"The threshold is substantially increased. Medical cards were never intended for millionaires. We now have a high level for a threshold with some room to accommodate hardship cases.
"I still want universal cards, but I recognise we are living in changed times," he said.
Mary O'Rourke said that the meeting had been "cordial and warm". "We appreciated the steps people had taken. I was very happy with the outcome as I had called for an increase in the thresholds and that is what has occurred."
Mr O'Keeffe also welcomed the change of stance. "I am very happy with the outcome," he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Health Mary Harney said she expected the Government to last a full term, despite the controversy.
Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday, Ms Harney said she had been given a mandate and was twice appointed as Minister for Health since the last general election. Her position was a matter for the Taoiseach she said, but she intended to remain in power until the next general election and had not ruled out running again, despite the impending demise of the Progressive Democrats.
"I have never said that [I would not contest the election] actually. I have never said that that is the case, I have not made a decision in relation to that," she told RTÉ's News at One.
Her comments came as two PD councillors in the party's heartland of Galway announced their resignation over the issue.
One of the two, Cllr Thomas Welby, has called for the "immediate resignation" of Ms Harney.
Galway city councillor Terry O'Flaherty and Galway county councillor Mr Welby tendered their resignations to party chairman Ciarán Cannon in Galway on Monday night.
