asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the income limit for the new health service eligibility scheme to £9,000.

The present income limit for free hospital services is £3,000.

The revised arrangements which I propose to introduce from 6 April will abolish this limit for purposes of free maintenance in public wards of hospitals and will increase the limit to £5,500 for purposes of eligibility for free consultant services in hospital. Before a decision was taken on this limit, I had discussions on a number of occasions with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, who pressed for a higher figure. I carefully considered their representations but consider that a limit of £5,500 is reasonable, bearing in mind the improved arrangements being offered by the Voluntary Health Insurance Board for persons within their schemes.

There is also the additional consideration that for practical purposes the limit for social welfare and health should be the same.

What proportion of the population would be covered at £9,000?

I have given the Deputy the figure already; he knows——

The Minister was just about to answer it yesterday and I did not hear it.

Eighty-three per cent.

No, I said at £9,000?

At £9,000 3 or 4 per cent would be excluded. I think the Deputy will agree that if we were to have——

If you are going to go that far——

You might as well go the whole way.

I suppose the Minister has said this before but——

I listen assiduously to the Deputy all the time.

What is the Minister's view on the prohibition that prevents him from extending it to the figure of £9,000? What is the main objection he sees to that?

It is somewhat involved but, as I have said, if one goes to £9,000 one might as well go the whole way. That would have various financial implications of one sort or another. Two Opposition spokesmen and myself discussed this ad nauseum.

Is the Minister aware that there is a great deal of public dissatisfaction——

There is also a great deal of public satisfaction at the major advance the new package represents.