asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the fact that there are eight categories who can claim eligibility under the general medical services scheme and that the rules governing eligibility are not administered uniformly, consideration is being given to simplification and clarification regarding criteria or procedures.

The categories of persons who have eligibility for the general medical services scheme are adult persons unable without undue hardship to arrange general practitioner medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants, together with the dependants of such persons. For purposes of deciding whether any individual is in one of these categories, the chief executive officers of the health boards have adopted simple financial guidelines which are applied uniformly throughout the country. I am not aware of the need for any further clarification or simplification of the criteria or procedures which are used.

The Deputy may have in mind the classes of persons who can claim limited eligibility for health services. I have recently announced that it is my intention to change the conditions which govern limited eligibility with effect from April 1979. This will simplify and clarify these rules and will result in the categories being reduced to two.

The Minister stated on a number of occasions recently that overall there has been an increase in the number or percentage holding cards. Has he the breakdown in percentages in each of the health board areas as to the increases or decreases?

I have.

Do they show an overall increase?

The Deputy has a question down about this later.

Yes, I thought it would be taken with this question.