Dr. Fergal Lynch:

I will try to answer the questions as succinctly as possible. Deputy Kelleher asked about advanced versus non-advanced plans and why there are no non-advanced plans on the market. The critical date that perhaps has not been highlighted in the discussion up to now is 31 March. The stamp duty rates change on 31 March and not beforehand. The existing stamp duty rates remain in place up to 31 March and then we have the split. The fact that there are no current non-advanced plans on the market is not of itself of concern. The critical issue is the number of non-advanced plans that will be available after 31 March. Even if we had ten, 20 or 30 non-advanced plans on the market getting the lower rate of stamp duty, that lower, favourable rate would not apply on any policy until a policy was written from 31 March onwards. Even if I am in one of the 47 plans mentioned earlier by the Deputy, I would not have benefited from that unless I moved to the new-type plan after 31 March. That there are no non-advanced plans on the market is not the issue of concern to us. Obviously, it would be an issue after 31 March. I understand health insurers have been talking to the HIA about their plans in this regard. They have 30 days to notify the HIA. The deadline for implementing a new non-advanced plan by 31 March would be 1 March, which is tomorrow week. My understanding is that different insurers have been talking to the HIA in that regard. Therefore, my expectation is that there will be non-advanced plans in the market after 31 March. It is very important to clarify that date, which was not highlighted when insurers raised the issue this morning.