Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of full medical card holders in 1998 and at the present time as a proportion of the general population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9760/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Details of the numbers of medical card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive. The most recent figures provided to my Department reflect the position as at the 1 February 2008. The table that follows this reply shows the number of persons with medical cards and the proportion of the national population which this represents, on the dates requested by the Deputy. In interpreting this information, it is necessary to take account of the fact that the HSE — before 2005 the health boards — has undertaken a substantial programme of work in recent years to improve data quality in the General Medical Services client database. For example, in 2003 and 2004, work carried out by the health boards led to a deletion of approximately 104,000 inappropriate entries, where, for example, there were duplicate entries for the same person, the expiry date on the card had passed, the person had moved away or was deceased. This exercise did not involve any reduction in the actual number of persons who held medical cards but rather resulted in a more accurate picture of the number of individuals in receipt of GP services under the GMS Scheme.

In addition, as at 1st February, 2008, 76,094 persons held a GP visit card.