asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who have been removed from the general medical services register from 1 January, 1983 to date.
11.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Removals from GMS Register.
10.
asked the Minister for Health the number and category of persons in the social welfare code who have been removed from the general medical services register in the constituency of Dún Laoghaire.
12.
asked the Minister for Health the number and category of persons in the social welfare code who have been removed from the general medical services register from 1 January 1983 to date.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, together.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available. In order to obtain the information a detailed examination of all files would be necessary. The cost of such examinations would not be justified.
Surely this information is available to the Minister. On the basis that he has not answered Deputy De Rossa's question about the cost of means testing students I would have thought that he would have replied more fully to my question. Question Time is designed to elicit information that is required, not by us as Members, but by our constituents. What the Minister has given me is a non reply. I am not imputing political motives to him. He, too, represents the Dún Laoghaire consitituency but he should be more forthcoming in supplying information.
I assure the Deputy that I inquired carefully as to whether the information could be compiled. In relation to the Dún Laoghaire area I, too, would have been interested in having the information but in the general register of medical cards in the Eastern Health Board there is no differentiation to that extent. What would be required would be a complete examination of all persons with a subsequent segregation into each area. Such a procedure would be very costly both in terms of money and of time.
The Minister often boasts about a computer in some anonymous office or other. Surely these are details that could have been ascertained by the use of a computer.
A great deal of information is compiled by means of computer but it is done on the basis of the health board area. We have eight health boards in the country, although one might ask why we have that number.
Is the Minister saying that the health board do not know how many people have been removed from the GMS register in the Dún Laoghaire local authority area?
Yes, that would be so. They would know within the health board as a whole but not in relation to, say, Dún Laoghaire, Blanchardstown or Clondalkin.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.
Arising out of the Minister's response, I should like to pursue this matter further on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Does the Minister not recollect that in relation to a question he gave me similar information to that now sought by the Deputy.
I would remind the Deputies that Question Time is over. I am endeavouring to give Deputy Reynolds an opportunity to put his Private Notice Question and with the co-operation of Deputy Flynn I should like to proceed.
I only asked if the Minister could recollect a similar question by me last week——
Will the Deputy please sit down?
The Minister gave the information about west Mayo.
I am asking the Deputy to resume his seat. He is being disorderly.
There is no need for the Chair to take this attitude towards Members of the House.
The Deputy is being disorderly. I ask him to resume his seat. I have given Deputy Reynolds permission to raise a Private Notice Question.
The Minister had the information available for me but he cannot give similar information to the Deputy today.
I am asking Deputy Flynn again to please resume his seat. He is being disorderly.
The Chair should cool his temper. He is sending many of us around the bend.
The Deputy is a test for anyone's patience. I am calling Deputy Reynolds to put his Private Notice Question.