asked the Minister for Health if he can give any estimate of the number of people covered by medical cards under the new revised guidelines for eligibility; and the percentage of the population this number represents.

The latest figures available relate to the position on 30 September 1977 when 1,226,787 persons, representing 38.4 per cent of the population were covered by medical cards. The guidelines which came into effect on 1 January 1978 represented an up-dating of the earlier guidelines by reference to changes in the cost of living and should have little or no effect on the numbers covered by medical cards.

Am I right in assuming that a new directive has issued from the Minister's Department to review all medical cards and that in borderline cases cards have been taken from previous medical card holders?

That is not correct. No such directive has been issued by my Department.