Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Health is at the Estimates committee this morning. The health information Bill is due for later this year. The publicly funded GP scheme is also due later this year as part of the approach towards universal health insurance.

In respect of the private health insurance business, the Minister and the Department have been engaged with the private health insurers over the past week to ten days. I understand they have made substantial progress in regard to contributions from the sector in respect of reduction of costs and all of that area. The Minister gave an interim briefing to Cabinet yesterday and I expect that those discussions will conclude, hopefully, in the next couple of days, with results in the interests of the taxpayer. When that is reported to the Cabinet by the Minister, we will advise the House on the outcome.

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