asked the Minister for Health if medical cards held by pensioners and widows have been taken up for review; and, if so, if he will ensure their speedy return so as not to inflict undue hardship on the holders.

I assume the Deputy's question relates to medical card holders who are in receipt of non-contributory old age and widows' pensions. Medical cards for those are not taken up for review but continuing eligibility may be checked periodically without taking up the card.

In the Eastern Health Board area medical cards for such old age pensioners are not reviewed regularly but are issued on a long-term basis, covering a number of years.

Can the Minister say if there is any truth in the reports which have been circulating in some papers that owners of those cards were being asked in many instances to fill up complicated forms which many of them were incapable of filling and that, in the event of their not filling those forms, the cards were being held from them indefinitely?

If the card is coming towards the end of its period of validity the holder of that card would be issued with a form some time before the expiration of its validity and asked to complete the form, but the card would not be taken up pending the completion of the form. If the Deputy suggests some of these forms are too complicated, that is something I will certainly take note of because in all these areas we are endeavouring to simplify these forms to the greatest possible extent.

I appreciate the Minister's assurance about trying to simplify these cards, but can he give us a definite assurance that there is no undue delay or no hardship suffered by those people?

I would certainly hope so. As I say, the card should not be taken up when the case is being reviewed. It is only if it is decided to remove the card that it would be taken up.

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