One quarter of adults have no medical coverage

More than one quarter of Irish adults don't have a medical card or private health insurance, according to figures published by the CSO today.

The agency says 44% of respondents to the latest Quarterly National Household Survey said they had private insurance, 24% had a medical card and 5% had both.

The levels coverage is higher among women than men, with 77% of women having private insurance or a medical card, compared to 69% of men.

Age is also a major factor, with 44% of people in the 18-24 age group having no coverage, compared to just 1% in the over-70s age group.