Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 3

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

154 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of medical card holders in County Kerry for each of the past five years; the costs incurred as a result of the use of medical cards; the number of items available to medical card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4860/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The details requested by the Deputy are included in the following tables:

1. Medical cards for County Kerry

Year(as at 31 Dec.)	No. of persons covered by medical cards
1997	45,395
1998	43,040
1999	42,646
2000	43,071
2001	45,074

2. Costs incurred nationally in payments to doctors and pharmacists under the GMS Scheme 1996-2000

Year	€m.
1996	335.400
1997	359.862
1998	414.059
1999	442.443
2000	504.778

(Figures for 2001 are not yet available)

A varying number of approved prescribed medicines are available to medical card holders. At present 20,837,863 items are listed as having been dispensed to medical card holders for the ten month period January to October 2001. In 2000, on a full year basis, the number of items was 22,822,275.