Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

This is an extremely important issue and it must be discussed. The Minister referred to the publication of a White Paper at the end of this year. At that stage, he will have been in office for almost two years. He has made commitments in respect of health insurance and he referred to a long timeframe and a lead-in period. In the meantime, we are faced with a crisis of major proportions in the private health insurance industry. Many people are giving up their private health insurance because they cannot afford to pay their premiums. In addition, there is the question of the ruling of the European Court of Justice in the context of the VHI requiring a capital injection of €220 million. Then, there are the problems associated with Quinn Healthcare. While the Minister is discussing his grand designs, people cannot afford to pay for private health insurance and the Government may find itself in a hugely difficult position if it is obliged to provide VHI with a major injection of cash to bring it into line with other health insurers.

The Minister has a major problem but he does not appear to be addressing it. He is discussing something that will occur way down the road. In the interim, we are facing into a crisis of major proportions in the context of private health insurance. It is fine to discuss and be fascinated by the Dutch model. However, and regardless of whether Deputy Buttimer approves of our doing so, we must discuss bread-and-butter issues such as that relating to families not being in a position to afford private health insurance. Last year, the Minister referred to the increases that were introduced as being appalling and horrendous. The position in this regard has become even worse in recent months.

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