Bernard Allen
Question:179 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which the cost of providing free medical care to persons over 70 years of age is at least three times more than indicated when the scheme was introduced; and the way in which 20,000 more people than expected had applied for medical cards for the over 70 years of age category when his Department had initially calculated that there would be 33,000 extra cards issued under the scheme. [31381/01]