asked the Minister for Health if an estimate of the administrative costs involved in determining eligibility for free hospitalisation has been made and if these costs exceed the cost of extending free hospitalisation to the entire population.

An estimate of the administrative costs involved in determining eligibility for hospital services has not been made. It would be difficult to quantify these costs as they fall on a large number of agencies and concerns. I am confident, however, that such costs would be of a much lower order of magnitude than the cost of extending free hospital services to the entire population.

On the assumption that the Minister will bring in the £7,000 limit for free hospitalisation and the 135,000 people will be excluded——

That is a separate question.

I shall not be allowed to raise this question for six months. It is a question I have been raising over and over again with the Minister. May I ask if the fact that 135,000 people will be excluded warrants the administrative bureaucracy to determine means in such circumstances?

If the percentage proportion of persons excluded is very low, there is not much point in having a limit at all. More than that I cannot say at present.

Is it the intention of the Minister to raise the limit to £7,000?

I am not in a position to make any statement on that. The Deputy knows as much about it as I do. Unfortunately the national understanding has been rejected by the trade union movement. The scheme I introduced in April is now operating. I am not aware of any further developments.

Are the regulations valid which were published in relation to this, in view of the fact that the National Health Council is not operational?

Yes, I have checked on that point.

Even though the Minister must consult them?

Yes.