Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ministers and the team from the HSE and the Department for the very comprehensive statements that have been made. I have two areas of questioning. The Minister has been very honest about the targets set for 2014 in terms of saving the additional €360 million. I agree that some of the bases for those savings are less than solid in terms of the sort of analysis that has been given. What is the likelihood of a supplementary budget or budgets being needed in 2014? How much does the Minister expect will be required in supplementary budgets? Conscious that we will no longer be under the intense scrutiny of the troika, there might be some more leeway afforded to the Minister and his colleagues in the Cabinet. I would be interested in hearing from him on that. The way in which the figure of €113 million has been arrived at is somewhat dubious, and I am quite sceptical about the likelihood of realisation through the probity review of medical cards.

Second, I wish to follow up on Deputy Kelleher's question on the reduction in tax relief for medical insurance. It is quite extraordinary that this taxation measure was arrived at without any consultation with the Minister for Health. That it was exclusively a decision of the Department of Finance is pretty much alarming. I realise that the €127 million in potential savings is a convenient figure to arrive at for the Department of Finance. As Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly has a duty of care to patients, others in the health system and the huge swathe of people who benefit from health insurance at present but who rely on the tax relief that will no longer be available. Has there been any in-depth analysis by the Department of Health or others collectively on the likely impact on public health care costs? There will clearly be an impact.

Can the Minister clarify the likely number of people who will be affected? It has been suggested by a number of people with considerable expertise, including Mr. Dermot Goode, that up to 1.8 million people could be affected, or 90% of policies. Is that likely? Does the Minister believe the figures are accurate? How on earth will this fit in with the Minister's plan to roll out universal health care in the years ahead? It seems quite incongruous.