The Department of Health has said no figures are as yet available on the number of people who have been issued with extra medical cards, as part of the promise to provide 30,000 more standard medical cards this year.
The new income guidelines allowing for the measure came into effect on 1 January but the department says figures on the number of cards issued are not available yet from health service regions.
Under the guidelines, a single person can earn up to €191 a week and be entitled to a standard medical card. The full year cost of the measure is put at €30m.
According to the Irish Medical Organisation, the number of standard medical cards available has reduced by around 8,000 since the start of the year.
Meanwhile, a bill allowing for the new doctor-only medical cards was published today by the Government. An estimated 200,000 people are due to receive these cards at a cost of €50m in a full year.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Health said she hopes the medical cards provided under the Health Amendment Bill will be available by April.
The bill provides for the cards to be issued to people who, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive, would find it 'unduly burdensome' to arrange GP medical and surgical services for themselves and their families.
Labour's Liz McManus said the GP only cards are no substitute for the 200,000 extra full medical cards promised before the 2002 general election.
She also criticised the lack of guidelines or income limits for the provision of the cards.
On the other main provision of the bill, Deputy McManus said the Labour Party had no objection to asking those in State care who have an income to contribute towards their food and accommodation.
She added however, that allowing nursing homes to take up to 80% of a patient's pension could leave them with too little to cover basic requirements.
