Brendan Howlin
Question:175 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason medical services of a preventative nature, for example, cervical smear testing, are not available free of charge to medical card patients; his views on whether this restriction may discourage low income patients from availing of preventative medical services; if he will abolish this restriction on the free availability of all medical services to medical card patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3687/00]