asked the Minister for Health if he will include as medicinal and therapeutic the special foods required in the treatment of coeliac disease and thereby render it eligible for assistance under the green card system.

The long term illness scheme is reviewed from time to time and coeliac disease is among the conditions considered in these reviews. While it has not been possible to include it in the prescribed list of diseases there is already assistance available to help offset the cost.

Persons with coeliac disease who are the holders of medical cards obtain prescribed gluten free products free of charge. Persons with limited eligibility may include, in claims for refund of part of their expenditure on medicines, the cost of gluten free products purchased from retail pharmacies. The great majority of persons suffering from coeliac disease would benefit from one or other of these schemes.

Would the Minister not agree that the food these people need is, in fact, therapeutic and there-fore would count as medicine and should be recouped in the ordinary way?

Gluten free products are recouped under the scheme.

It is long-term illness.

It is very much a candidate for inclusion in the list whenever it is extended.

Is the Minister reviewing that list?

Yes.