asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct county managers to return medical cards to those people who lost them through wage increases secured under what was known as the seventh round of wage increases.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Restoration of Medical Cards.
14.
The determination of eligibility for general medical services under Section 14 of the Health Act, 1953, to which the Deputy's question relates, is a matter for the appropriate health authorities and I have no power to issue an instruction on the lines referred to by the Deputy.
I should, perhaps, mention that the number of persons covered by medical cards has remained fairly stable over the past few years, which would indicate that health authorities are not withdrawing medical cards because of general wage increases, including the seventh round. In the Deputy's constituency there has, in fact, been an increase of a little over three per cent. in the numbers covered by medical cards between the end of 1959 and the end of 1961.