James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

When are we going to get the replacement legislation for risk equalisation? In addition, I ask the Minister, through the good offices of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, to give us a series of examples of how this new initiative, which we mentioned earlier and about which many people are concerned, will work. For example, what is the situation now for Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, aged 72 and for Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien, both in their 40s and their two children under the age of 18? It seems to me there will be additional levies on adults and children which in a four-person family with two children would result in €500 extra in levies. There will be a 20% cut in their tax rebate and they are facing the possibility of a rise in premia if what the Minister was intimating earlier and what the newspapers are saying is true, namely that there is to be a rise in premia. It appears the insurance companies will be getting the rebate at source from the Government and they will also be allowed hike up their premia which seems like a double whammy on the customer and a double gain for the insurers. This seems a little bit odd.

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