I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together.
Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Medical cards are issued to persons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer, are unable to provide general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants without undue hardship.
Income guidelines are drawn up by the chief executive officers to assist in the determination of a person's eligibility and these are revised annually in line with the consumer price index. I am advised that revised guidelines for 2000 have not yet been determined by the chief executive officers.
The Deputy will be aware that the Government decided, as part of the last budget, that the income guidelines for entitlement to medical cards for persons aged 70 years or over should be doubled. This improvement, which is being introduced over a three year period, began on 1 March this year. The income guidelines for those aged 70 to 79 and 80 years and over, which are already higher than the normal guidelines, have increased by one-third and there will be similar increases in 2000 and 2001.