Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Michael Finucane

Question:

296 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of medical cards in County Limerick, County Clare and north Tipperary which have been issued in the past five years; the costs incurred as a result of use of the medical cards; the number of items available under medical card coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5813/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The details requested by the Deputy are included in the following tables;

1. Number of persons covered by medical cards in the

Mid-Western Health Board region.

Year	Clare	Limerick	NorthTipperary
1997	30,827	51,253	19,555
1998	29,280	51,339	19,202
1999	28,803	49,490	18,441
2000	29,543	47,852	18,216
2001	31,191	52,298	19,464

2. Costs incurred nationally in payments to doctors and pharmacists under the GMS scheme 1997-2000 (figures for 2001 not yet available).

Year	£m	(€m)
1997	283,414	(359.862)
1998	326.098	(414.059)
1999	348.452	(442.443)
2000	397.545	(504.778)

A varying number of approved prescribed medicines are available to medical card holders.

At present 20,837,863 items are listed as having been dispensed to medical card holders for the ten month period January to October 2001. In 2000, on a full year basis, the number of items was 22,822,275.