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

The document is not being published. Will the Taoiseach confirm, first of all, that the commitment in the programme for Government to legislation - it states that universal health insurance legislation will be introduced - has now been formally and officially abandoned? A year ago the Minister said the same thing. The Taoiseach had a cut off him, marked his cards, said he was wrong and that universal health insurance is still on the Government's agenda. Anyway, he was clear this morning. He is now using new language, calling it universal health care. It is a real slíbhín approach, as if we will disappear or eliminate it, like George Orwell. It is almost Orwellian as if he is saying we never actually promised universal health insurance. It is as if he wants to bury all the documents or get rid of them. That seems to be what is happening. People are not fools. I want the Taoiseach to confirm it. Is universal health insurance off the table? Will the Government publish the ESRI report, which went into the costings of universal health insurance? Will the Government also publish the KPMG report it commissioned in respect of this policy?

Four years on the Government has created havoc throughout the health service with waiting lists, waiting times and accident and emergency departments across the board. There have been extraordinary increases in waiting times. The Government issue is not resolved by any shape or means. The then Minister, Deputy James Reilly, was disastrous during his tenure as Minister for Health. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, seems to be doing nothing more than to try to put a brave face on it and to get presentational issues right before the next general election. A big lie was told here on this health issue. A big, big lie was told before the last election to the people. It is time we got some truth, transparency and honesty from the Government in respect of this issue.

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