asked the Minister for Health whether District Medical Officers may accept fees from patients who are holders of medical cards; and if not, whether their attention has ever been directed to the matter by his Department.

Only persons who are entitled to avail themselves of the general practitioner service of a health authority may be issued with Medical cards.

The relevant regulations provide that the general practitioner service to be supplied by a health authority shall be provided by the district medical officer, and that such officer shall not demand or receive any fee or other payment (or consideration) from any person other than the health authority in reward for the services he provides under the regulations.

Health authorities and Boards of Assistance were asked by my Department on 3 September last to draw the attention of all district medical officers to this express prohibition.

Does the regulation the Minister has just indicated refer also to accidents?

It does not, as a matter of fact.

"It does" or "it does not"?

What type of accidents?

Suppose there is a motor accident in a dispensary officer's district, does it so refer?

Is the Minister aware that district medical officers are now entitled to collect fees from persons who have no medical cards, although, prior to the introduction of the Health Act, 1953, many of these persons could obtain treatment free of charge from the local dispensary medical officers? Will the Minister, therefore, reconsider the provisions of the Health Act which are now imposing upon persons an obligation to pay medical fees when, in fact, their financial and economic circumstances are no better than they were when they were entitled to free medical treatment?

I suggest that the Deputy should put his speech in the form of a question and I shall answer it in the detail in which he has expressed himself.

The Minister has an awful neck to make that answer after taking up so much time in verbal nonsense this evening.

Am I not to get any answer?

The London visit did not do the Minister any good.

If the Deputy puts down that question, he will get a precise answer. I do not want the Deputy to chance his arm in order to induce me to do the same.

There is no question of anybody chancing his arm. The Minister is supposed to know his job and he does not.