asked the Minister for Health if he will furnish particulars of (a) the names of each dispensary district in the country; (b) the total number of medical card holders in each dispensary district; (c) the total number of persons entitled to general medical services free in each dispensary district; and (d) the total population of each district.

The information sought by the Deputy, relating to some 630 dispensary districts, is not readily available in my Department and is unlikely to be available, for the date in question, for all dispensary districts. Consequently, even if I were to put every health authority to the trouble and expense of attempting to compile the information ad hoc, it would not be in the precise form which the Deputy has requested.

Statistics of medical cards are available for each health authority area and the latest ones are shown below.

When a similar question was asked on 8th November, 1966 detailed information was available as a result of a special survey. I would refer the Deputy to the reply then given—Official Report, volume 225, col. 386, It may be that this, with the information given in the preceding paragraph of this reply, will give the Deputy, broadly, the information he requires. If it does not, perhaps he would get in touch with me.

*The population figures for each area, are taken from the 1966 Census of Population. The total population figure (2,921,000) is the official estimate of population for 1969.

†Reduction due to general review recently carried out.