asked the Minister for Health why a person (name supplied) in Dungarvan, County Waterford, has been repeatedly refused a medical card though he is permanently incapacitated and is stated to be solely dependent on social welfare benefit; and if, in the circumstances, he will explain the basis for rejecting this person's application for the medical card.

As I indicated in reply to a similar question on 27th June, the granting or refusal of a medical card is a statutory function of the chief executive officer of a health board. I have no authority to intervene in the exercise of this function in relation to individual cases.

70.

asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the number of applications for medical cards refused by the North Western Health Board during each of the months January, February and March, 1973, and (b) the total number of such applications received by the Board during each of the same three months.

The information is not available in my Department. If the Deputy will repeat the question in two weeks' time I should be in a position to supply the information.

71.

asked the Minister for Health if he will indicate in respect of each assistance officer's area in County Donegal the number of medical card applications investigated and the number of medical cards granted for the year ended 31st March, 1973.

This information is not available in my Department. If the Deputy regards the information as essential I would suggest that he should approach the North Western Health Board. I understand, however, that the board do not have the information in the form requested by the Deputy, and that its compilation would require a considerable amount of work.