James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I would love to be in a position to deliver full universal health insurance by the end of this term, but I am a realist and a pragmatist and I know it will not be possible. However, we will be well advanced along the road by the time of the next general election. For this reason, I stated that a second term would be required to bed things in fully. It is too early to say how many items of legislation will be required. This policy will be implemented incrementally to ensure this development is done properly instead of rushing matters and causing problems down the road.

We are committed to achieving this. For the first time ever, a political party has acknowledged that bedding in a policy will take two terms. Generally speaking, it is not seen as a successful political tactic, but we are determined to make it happen because people deserve it. As we have often done in the past, we are asking everyone to share the pain. We want to ensure that, at the other end, everyone shares the gain.

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