Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I acknowledge that there seems to be at least some movement within the Department on this. The difficulty is that the Minister told us 12 months ago that it was a good idea to look at this so it has taken 12 months for him to direct his officials to look at it and come forward with proposals.

I do not agree with the Minister of State's assertion that there are technical issues involved. This legislation was passed 12 years ago. If there were technical issues, we had 12 years in which to resolve them instead of looking at them now. The reason we are so frustrated in this respect is because when older people get their renewal notices next January, February and March, they will have to make a decision as to whether they will need a knee replacement or ophthalmology services. It is a case of whether my sight more important than my walk and which one I will prioritise in respect of the level of cover I take out because I cannot afford to continue to pay the current level of cover I have. That is the decision those older people must make when they get their renewal notices. The frustrating thing about it is that actually getting their grandchildren to take out insurance cover helps spread the burden across the board, but we are providing no incentive to the parents of those children to take out that cover. The bizarre thing was that there was an incentive built into the amendment that was brought forward on budget night, and last week the Minister for Finance shoved through an amendment to it. The difficulty is that if any young person asked the reason they should take out health insurance cover, there is no answer for them and this forces older people to have to make decisions as to whether their eyes or knees more important. Sadly, those are the kind of decisions that will forced on those people next year because the Minister did not look at this 12 months ago.

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