Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of medical cards applied for in January, February and March 2007 and January, February and March of 2008. [16122/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Details of the number of medical card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive. The figures are provided on a net basis showing the balance after new cards have been issued and other cards, as appropriate, have been deleted from the Executive's database, e.g. following a review of a person's circumstances. The following table shows the number of medical card holders on the last day of January, February and March in 2007 and 2008.

As the figures sought by the Deputy regarding medical card applications for the specified months are not routinely provided to my Department and as the HSE has the operational and funding responsibility for the medical card benefit, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.