Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

The Deputy is wrong on one point. The HIA has informed me that 12,000 people have dropped out of health insurance this year. Out of a total of 2.2 billion, that figure of 12,000 represents a very small number by any standard. People have switched from one provider to another. People have left the VHI to take out insurance with some of its competitors. The VHI may have lost 4%, 5% or up to 6% of its market share, but that business has gone to its competitors.

Approximately half of our population has private health insurance and I envisage in that region will continue to have it.

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