Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

This purpose of the legislation is to transfer the sum that is given by way of a tax credit to the benefit of older people from younger people within the group of insured persons. How the insurance companies deal with this requirement is entirely a matter for themselves. In other words, it is a decision for individual companies as to whether health insurance premia will increase on foot of this. That is not what we are seeking to do in the legislation. It stipulates that the sum of money allowed by the Revenue Commissioners for health insurance will be redistributed as between older and younger people. Fundamentally, these measures are a case of transferring money. We had sought to attain our objective by way of risk equalisation but instead it is being done through a tax credit.

Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

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