asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of muscular dystrophy in Ireland at the latest available date.

15.

asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made with regard to the provision of free treatment and appliances to sufferers from muscular dystrophy.

16.

asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of Parkinsonism in Ireland; and if he will consider including this condition among the list of those for which free treatment is available.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 15 and 16 together.

No reliable statistics are available as to the number of persons in this country with Parkinsonism or muscular dystrophy.

I am at present reviewing the first year's operation of the special provisions for certain long-term conditions. I cannot yet say whether it will be possible for me to extend the list of conditions as I must bear in mind the competing demands of the other services on the limited resources available to me.

In the meantime, health boards have ample discretion to assist persons with one or other of the conditions mentioned where these persons are not already adequately provided for under the existing entitlement provisions.

Could the Minister say when he will be in a position to make a clear declaration about free treatment and provision of appliances for muscular dystrophy cases? In view of the fact that people with this condition of Parkinsonism can lead normal lives with proper treatment, does he not think it might be in the interest of these poor victims that free treatment should be made available as of right and not just left dependent on the discretion of a local officer who may not have adequate medical knowledge of the condition?

I propose to examine into this, but in relation to the very expensive drug now provided for Parkinsonism which would cost about £350 a year, the people of the limited eligibility in eligibility groups would have very high assistance from the health boards to pay for that drug and even above that limit in the upper income group. If they were very near the border line, the health board could make some assistance available to pay for drugs where the cost is of that order.

Would the Minister agree that in the case of dystrophy patients whose life span is limited and who need these special appliances in the form of wheelchairs, it is rather humiliating for them to have to submit details and provide certificates of income to obtain this assistance? In those circumstances would he not consider making a regulation providing for free treatment and appliances especially for these people who have a limited life span?

I am looking into this.