Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

That is my summary of this debate.

In practical terms, this means that both parties are quite happy with a system where 45% of elective operations in the public hospital, Tallaght, in Deputy Rabbitte's constituency are private. The Government wants a better deal for public patients. We will free up new beds for public patients at ten public hospitals and we will purchase services for public patients to continue to reduce waiting times for operations, dialysis and MRI scans.

Deputy Twomey claimed that the co-location initiative will cost €2 billion. He maintains that €1 billion in insurance premiums will be transferred to the private sector. If €1 billion is being paid by insurers to public hospitals, that is news to everyone, including me, the hospitals, the Oireachtas, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the boards of the VHI and BUPA.

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