Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----that espouses giving everybody everything for nothing. The party has voted against every proposition over the past five years that has helped our country to develop.

In respect of health, the first steps have been taken on universal health insurance with the provision of free GP care for those under six and over 70. Obviously, the break-up of the HSE has been under way for some time. Hospital groups have been set up and they will evolve into hospital trusts in due course. Community health care organisations are well under way, as is the provision of primary care centres. This is where we need to be in order that people do not have to go to hospital in the first place by having minor ailments and issues dealt with in primary care centres. That is based on a strong community-based proposition in respect of health.

The health insurance market has been made much more competitive than it was through young adult discounts and lifetime community rating and there has been a 100% increase in the numbers with health insurance over the past two years. These are all positive issues, whether the Deputy likes it or whether he does not.

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