Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

In each of the parliamentary sessions in 2005, we were promised that the health (repayment scheme) Bill, designed to reimburse those who were wrongly charged for nursing home care, would be published. We have now been told that we will have to wait up to the beginning of the next session before the legislation is published. Will the Taoiseach give the House a commitment that the Bill will actually be enacted before Easter, rather than just appearing on the legislative programme, so that those people who have been denied the reimbursement of the moneys taken from them can look forward, at least, to repayments happening within that timeframe?

There are five major health Bills in section C of the Government's legislative programme.

See this speech in context