Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I hope it will be. Clearly, if there is a decline in our economic circumstances this may will impact on the situation.

With regard to the reasons why the insurance was increased, Quinn Healthcare said that half the increase was due to the levy. I will be honest about that. The company said as much in its public statement. We have in the budget again hugely increased the cost of private beds in public hospitals because I do not believe, nor do I think it sustainable, that public hospitals funded 100% by the taxpayers should offer preferential access to those who have private health insurance. We are trying each year to increase this cost substantially until we get to a situation where the economic cost is charged to the insurers for those private beds and the taxpayers and the public hospitals do not suffer the expense of staffing of those beds.

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