Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What I am trying to achieve here is something which is straightforward, clear, understandable and simple. The more exceptions, subclauses and scenarios one tries to legislate for, the less clear it is. The message will be very clear, which is we are encouraging people to take out a health insurance policy if they do not already have one, and a loading will apply if they do not do so by 1 May next year and are over 35. If too many guillotines, exceptions and subclauses are introduced, we get away from this very clear message.

If this is something we need to tweak or amend over time this can be done, which is why the two year review is built into the legislation, but even at that point it will be done by regulation. It would not be practical to come back to the Oireachtas every time the scheme needed to be amended in some way. I appreciate the sentiment of the Members opposite but I do not agree with their solution.

With regard to people coming from abroad, I do not believe people will leave the country to game the health insurance system or anything of the sort. This is not my view at all. What is the case is anyone coming from abroad after 1 May will have the same grace period to take out private health insurance as anyone who lives in Ireland on or before 1 May.

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