Vol. 545 No. 4
249 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in County Dublin was given a temporary medical card which expired in September 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30465/01]
Responsibility for the issue of medical cards rests with the chief executive officer of the relevant health board, in this case the South-Western Area Health Board. My Department has made inquiries with the board in respect of this applicant and has been informed that he was granted an interim card on income grounds in February 2001. This was merely an administrative step to allow the applicant avail of medical card benefits. It was explained to the board that this person should not be classified as one of the new category of "Over 70s" cardholder as he was not receiving his medical card for the first time after July 1 2001.
