Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

If the Minister of State reflected on what the Taoiseach has just said, he would be shocked. He basically said that he does not want GPs' surgeries to be overwhelmed so he will put a brake on them, namely, cost. The Government will continue to charge and that will be the brake. If people can afford to go, off they will go. The Government will monitor and reduce the numbers by keeping a charging mechanism in place. That is not the universalism approach we have been advocating and which we advocated in government.

The changes the Taoiseach has outlined moves against the principles of universalism - a universal health system available on the basis of the need, not ability to pay. Having been in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for five years, it makes no sense to me to negotiate incremental contracts. The closer we get to getting the final tranche done, the more it will cost. That has been the experience of any incremental contract system. It is much better to do it in one fell swoop and agree a contract for all the under 18s and then the next tranche up to full universal coverage. That is the approach we worked on together in government but it has been abandoned since the Labour Party left government. It is not acceptable to propose reducing pressure on GP surgeries by continuing with a charging mechanism that allows those with the money to have access to have their children treated, but those without the money to have to wait.

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