Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The White Paper is due to be published in a couple of weeks. It will deal with the changes in the structures that are required to introduce universal health insurance. That will not happen overnight. The White Paper will not provide details of individual costings because what is involved here is the level of charges that might be applied by insurance companies in regard to health a couple of years hence. There are issues which are clear and must be discussed regarding cost containment, the level of subvention that will apply in respect of particular packages and the range of medical packages that will be on offer from the insurance companies. These are all complex matters to be discussed. When the White Paper is published it will not individualise costings per package, because that is work that must take place over the next 18 months to two years.

I can confirm that there were no acrimonious debates between Ministers. Obviously, this is a matter of fundamental importance for future health care and the delivery of health services for years in the future. It will be discussed not only at the Cabinet sub-committee but also by the Cabinet.

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