Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons who have availed of the general practitioner only medical card since its introduction; the estimated cost of administration of the scheme in that time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28023/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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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 by the HSE to my Department reflect the position on 1st June 2010 and show 106,373 GP visit card holders on that date.

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