Under the Health Act 1970, entitlement to health services is primarily based on residence and means. Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the health boards as being ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to either full eligibility, category 1, i.e. medical card holders, or limited eligibility, category 2, for health services. Health boards normally regard a person as "ordinarily resident" in Ireland if he or she satisfies the health board that it is his or her intention to remain in Ireland for a minimum period of one year.
Persons in category 1 are medical card holders and they are entitled to a full range of services including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultants services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances and a maternity and infant care service.