Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:
In page 12, to delete lines 2 to 4.
My amendment seeks the deletion of lines 2 to 4 on page 12, which state: "The assigning of an individual health identifier shall not be regarded in any way as indicating, in and of itself, an entitlement to, or eligibility for, the provision of a health service to the individual." I think I indicated on Second Stage that I can understand the reason that formula would be employed. However, the reality is that while the provision of this particular subsection states that the individual health identifier shall not be regarded as indicating entitlement to health services, there is a lack of clarity in the overall body of health legislation about what exactly we are entitled to.
The Minister will recall sitting in this committee room as his party's spokesperson on health during a long period when we both, with our Labour Party counterpart, persistently challenged the former Government on eligibility for health and personal social services Bill, long promised by previous governments, each of which was Fianna Fáil-led. Eventually the Bill disappeared. It was supposed to clarify and update the provisions relating to eligibility to health and personal social services. We have no such legislative provision. Section 5(3) provides that even if one has a health identifier number, that does not of itself mean one has any particular entitlements. I am concerned about that. I would have expected that legislation along the lines of this Bill would, at the very least, not have stated that it does not provide one with, but might have confirmed, some degree of entitlement. I ask the Minister to comment on this.
I believe that this subsection should be deleted. I do not want to offer the Minister the answer that I anticipate he will give me. We need some statement of explicit entitlement in law. I figure that this particular bold statement, that while one has an individual identifier number it does not give one an entitlement, is unnecessary and unfortunate in this instance. I wish to press the amendment but I am anxious to hear the Minister's response.