Would the Minister accept that the National Council for the Aged recommend general medical service cards for all over 75 years of age? Has he any proposal to implement that recommendation?

I am aware of that, but do not see a justification for it. Medical cards generally and the general medical services scheme should be based on income eligibility. It would be quite wrong if somebody with a substantial income should on reaching 75 years of age automatically receive a medical card, just as I held it wrong that persons over 65 years should automatically receive pensions.

Would the Minister accept that those over 75 years of age are high risk patients, irrespective of income and should be subject to the same guidelines as apply for those in the younger age groups? Would he not consider that a case could be made at least for raising those guidelines to include the over 75's?

I would not accept that on the grounds of utilisation of scarce health resources. It would be quite wrong that somebody with a substantial income at age 70 or 75 should get free general medical services. One could argue that case in relation to many other groups in the community on either age or sociological grounds. I do not see a logic in suggesting that persons aged 75 and over should automatically get the medical card, irrespective of income.

In other words, the Minister considers that £77 for an old aged pensioner and his wife is a sufficient income.

I am never satisfied in relation to income eligibility criteria but do not believe in their abolition. The Deputy is proposing a measure which I would estimate to cost £4 million. I could spend that amount on many other areas of health with far greater effect. Surely the Deputy is not suggesting that somebody with an income of £10,000 a year——

He is not.

I am thinking of an old aged pensioner and his wife living on £80 a week.

The position there is quite simple: 40 per cent of our population have free general medical services.