James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reject the Deputy’s amendment. I am not prepared to accept it. I do not accept the claim that the HIA is not doing the job it is empowered to do, or that certain figures represent a "damning indictment" of it.

Deputies raised the issue of community lifetime rating which I am examining actively because I agree with the principle that somebody who has been insured for all of his or her life should not be charged the same as somebody who decided to become insured for the first time at the age of 55 years. I do not think that is fair. We can look at other ways of encouraging more young people to enter the market. The insurers could be doing certain things that are not prohibited by law, but they are choosing not to do them. I am not prepared to accept amendments Nos. 3 and 4.