asked the Minister for Health if he will state the number of persons who, it is estimated, will be affected each year by the proposed increases in charges and the imposition of new charges in the health services outlined in the Budget statement.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Charges for Health Services.
It is estimated that in a full year about 17,000 persons will be affected by the proposed increase in charges for institutional services. In regard to the new charges for specialist services, the Deputy will appreciate that as the existing health services have been in operation for little more than a year, detailed statistics on which a precise calculation could be made of the number of persons who may be affected are not yet available.
Could the Minister give any indication of the total amount involved?
At a rough guess, between £70,000 and £90,000.
Is the Minister aware that there is a tendency on the part of the county managers to charge the maximum fee in each case, irrespective of means, in the middle income groups?
I regret to say that my information is to the contrary— that in many instances county managers are reluctant to demand all they might legitimately require.