Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

This Bill has to be enacted as soon as possible for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that the stamp duty and additional age-related tax credits provided for in Parts 3 and 4 of the Bill are to apply from 1 January this year. The Attorney General's office has recommended, having regard to the risk of challenge to the provisions, that early enactment is advisable. Some of the insurers have indicated they could be pursuing all avenues open to them to prevent the measures from coming into effect.

Priority is required also in the context of moves to support inter-generational solidarity in the market and to limit perverse incentives to engage in what is known as product segmentation, which would be contrary to the common good objectives. In addition to the financial measures, the Bill contains a number of provisions that strengthen the regulatory framework, so that it supports community rating and inter-generational solidarity, with which I should have thought the majority of Deputies in the House would agree.

There has been significant ongoing political, industry and consumer demand for the early introduction of a scheme as a necessary part of the arrangements to support community rated private health insurance.

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