Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This week the Executive has usurped the Parliament and has forced upon us for the next three days a debate on Government priorities, with no legislation at all tabled by the Government side. In that context, could the Taoiseach confirm whether the Government has delayed making any decision on implementing the plans of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, for universal health insurance for a year until a major costing exercise is complete? A draft memo that the Minister for Health circulated to his Cabinet colleagues found its way into The Irish Times this morning and many caveats have been put in regarding the timetabling and the plan itself. It might be a good exercise in the public interest to publish that draft memo so we could all see it and have a reasonable chance this week, when we discuss the Government's priorities, of discussing its major priority - namely, the introduction of universal health insurance, allegedly, in approximately six years' time. It would be no harm if we could have the opportunity to discuss that meaningfully this week, given that we are meant to be discussing Government priorities.

People would like to know the potential cost to them, as individuals and families, of such a new system. The Dutch model has increased overall per-capita costs by approximately 46% since its introduction in 2005. We need a very honest debate with people. Somebody somewhere has to pay for health services. Somebody will have to pay for the future health service irrespective of the funding model adopted. Would the Taoiseach accept that there will be a significant increase in costs to the Exchequer in the years to come following the introduction of the universal health insurance system? There will also be a significant cost to individuals and families. The 2 million people who already have health insurance will face extra costs for the basket of services they enjoy under the health insurance policies they have.

Also, approximately 1 million people have neither medical cards nor health insurance. The Taoiseach needs to be honest and tell the people concerned that they will pay a tax from now on in the context of the new model. We need to be straight with people in that regard.

Has the Taoiseach deferred making a decision on the Minister for Health's plans until a full costing exercise has been completed? Does he accept that there will be an increase in overall health expenditure for the Exchequer as a result of the introduction of universal health insurance, about which the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, have articulated concerns? Does he accept that there will be an increase in costs for many individuals who currently have health insurance? The Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, has said the cost of health insurance could be up to €1,600 per person per year.

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