Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I have no problem with that. The figure is about the same as the saving that the then Government claimed, and the current Minister, Deputy Reilly, railed against it. He told that Government that it was doing away with the principle of universal health care for the sake of a miserable €20 million, which it could have got from the bankers. Now, this Government is doing the same thing. It is an utter betrayal of the principles the parties in this Government expounded, and there is no justification for it.

I hope the pensioners will rise up against this. We will oppose the Bill, but words in this House seem to count for little, whether one is in opposition or in government. The only thing that made any difference on the last occasion was the fact that the pensioners took to the streets and forced Fianna Fáil to backtrack. I suspect the only thing that will force this Government to backtrack on this attack on the concept of universal provision is doing the same thing.

What is the alternative to this? It is what the Minister of State, Deputy White, and the Minister, Deputy Reilly, said at that time, universal health provision. How should it be funded? This is the same argument as applies to the issue of removing child benefit. If the aim is to take from those who can afford it, it should not be done at the price of the principle of universal health care. The same amount of money, indeed much more money, could be raised through having higher levels of taxation on higher earners. The Government could achieve in a fairer way the savings or the extra revenue it seeks without sacrificing that critical principle, which the Minister upheld until he took office. I appeal to him not to betray yet another principle. There cannot be another principle that is more important than the principle of universal health care, particularly for pensioners and the elderly who have contributed and done so much and who deserve to be rewarded with at least the security that they will be looked after and all the costs of their health care will be provided.

I hope the Minister will reconsider this, but I doubt it. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal.

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