Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 5, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following:"(d) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (4), inserted by section 3 of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 2016:

"(5) The Minister, shall by 1 February 2017, direct the Health Insurance Authority to carry out a review of the impact of changing the specified rate set out in section 125A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 to a percentage of premium and the effect this would have on the affordability of lower costs plans within the market.".".

I referred to this matter in my Second Stage contribution in the Dáil and the Minister said he might examine it. Has there been any further elucidation on the merits of the proposal? The purpose is to try to ensure we can make health insurance affordable at the lower levels. Obviously, people are taking out premiums at the lower level because they simply cannot afford to move up a little. If there is a flat rate across all premiums, proportionately much more of the levy is being paid by those at the lower end. Is there some way of having a pro rataarrangement for lower-cost plans? In other words, the higher one's premium payment, the higher the contribution made in stamp duties.