Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of doctor-only medical cards issued since the inception of the doctor-only medical card scheme; the number withdrawn in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13464/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The GP visit card benefit was introduced in November 2005. Details of the number of GP visit card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive (HSE). 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 most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE are for February 2009. The total number of GP visit card holders on 28th February 2009 was 86,442.

As the information sought by the Deputy is not provided to my Department by the HSE as a matter of the routine, the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive has been requested to arrange to address these matters and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of medical cards issued to persons over 70 years of age; the number withdrawn to date; the extent to which further withdrawals or cancellations are expected to take place arising from budgetary or other decisions taken or likely to be taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13465/09]

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 (HSE). 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 most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE are for February 2009. The total number of medical card holders aged 70 and over on 28th February 2009 was 343,617.

Following enactment of the Health Act 2008, the Health Service Executive (HSE) wrote to all medical card holders aged 70 years and over in January 2009. Persons who were in receipt of a medical card on a non means tested basis were requested, if over the income limits set out in the Act, to make a declaration to the Executive, on or before the 2nd March 2009. To date, 10,181 persons have returned their medical cards to the HSE and I understand that cards are still being returned. The HSE also reports that as part of an ongoing data quality exercise, a significant number of cards have also been removed from the medical card register — 9,264 of which are in respect of persons aged 70 years and over.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of general medical cards issued in each of the past five years to date; the number withdrawn or cancelled in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13466/09]

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 (HSE). 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 most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE are for February 2009. The number of medical card holders in February 2009 and for the month of February in the five previous years are set out in tabular form.

As the information requested by the Deputy is not provided by the HSE to my Department as a matter of routine, the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive has been requested to arrange to address these matters and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.