Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Whips are meeting this afternoon and the item on universal health insurance is one of the items to be discussed. The likelihood is arrangements will be made to have a discussion next week.

Regarding free GP care for those under six years of age, legislation is coming to Cabinet in the coming weeks and will provide a statutory basis for this.

Myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, have the same attitude to universal health insurance as to all legislation. We want to make sure costs are controlled but that is our general position across all legislation and policy brought before the Government. Under the new fiscal arrangements, we are operating under expenditure ceilings and it is our job to ensure the expenditure ceilings are not breached in any way. We scrutinise all measures on that basis but we are fully in support of the initiative. No one suggests that we can continue with the health service we have and everyone agrees it needs to be reformed.

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