The number of persons currently covered by a medical card in each county and the number of persons who were covered by a medical card at the beginning of 1997 are as follows:
County
|
September 2004
|
1st January 1997
|
Dublin
|
273,582
|
282,872
|
Wicklow
|
27,804
|
35,068
|
Kildare
|
37,391
|
35,004
|
Longford
|
12,363
|
12,957
|
Westmeath
|
21,068
|
22,338
|
Offaly
|
19,137
|
23,634
|
Laois
|
17,311
|
21,518
|
Clare
|
30,887
|
30,962
|
Limerick
|
49,657
|
55,177
|
Tipperary N.R.
|
19,061
|
20,822
|
Cavan
|
18,400
|
22,030
|
Louth
|
34,746
|
39,821
|
Meath
|
30,440
|
38,645
|
Monaghan
|
16,462
|
22,497
|
Donegal
|
67,618
|
69,524
|
Leitrim
|
11,344
|
12,430
|
Sligo
|
19,483
|
20,615
|
Carlow
|
15,455
|
17,061
|
Kilkenny
|
19.708
|
22,159
|
Tipperary S.R.
|
28,459
|
27,309
|
Waterford
|
34,785
|
39,508
|
Wexford
|
39,276
|
40,799
|
Cork
|
131,273
|
139,370
|
Kerry
|
41,428
|
46,993
|
Galway
|
66,432
|
73,724
|
Mayo
|
47,635
|
55,910
|
Roscommon
|
19,901
|
23,638
|
Total
|
1,151,106
|
1,252,385
|