Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The Government is not dictating the premium that must be paid. We will introduce legislation arising out of the Government health insurance initiative. The European Commission must clarify this, which will take two months. It will be retrospective to 1 January if we decide not to enact prior to the Commission giving its signature. That is possible in this type of legislation — it is similarly so with the Finance Bill. It is not criminal legislation. The Government will decide whether to enact the legislation prior to the Commission's determination. It would probably be sensible to await the outcome of the Commission deliberations, but it is the Government's intention to publish the legislation prior to Christmas.

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