Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The lads opposite appear to be a little frisky at this early stage.

The Government is fully committed to the introduction of universal health insurance in the interests of ending a two-tier system that is discriminatory and inequitable and that has not worked. Even when €15 billion was being spent on that system, it did not deliver the goods. Universal health insurance will be introduced during the second term of the Government. However, a number of steps must be taken prior to that happening. These involve the strengthening of primary care services - primary care centres are being rolled out at an average of one a month - continuing the work of the special delivery unit in tackling waiting times and waiting lists, the introduction of the money-follows-the-patient model in order that people will have greater control over the services of which they wish to avail and the introduction of hospital groups which in due course will be obliged to make fundamentally important decisions on health services. When these building blocks are put in place, the introduction of universal health insurance will follow. In essence, universal health insurance will mean that every patient will become central to the system. As a result, people will be tended to, as a priority, on the basis of their medical needs as opposed to what they have in their pockets. As the Deputy is aware, not every patient can afford to go to other places for treatment.

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