Results 5,501-5,520 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (19 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 705. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive has decided to sell the health centre in Kilmuckridge, County Wexford; the guarantees he can give that existing community services in Kilmuckridge will be continued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49453/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (19 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 715. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider increasing the eligibility levels for medical cards for single person's to two thirds of that of a couple in veiw of the hardship experienced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49551/13]

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: The two point plan.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. Before I came into the House, I was listening to the contributions of many Deputies. I also looked back over some of the debates on the ECB-IMF deal when it was being negotiated in November-December 2010. I read the contributions of some of the main Opposition spokespersons at the time in the Official Report. What was said then and what...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I do not know because we have not been told. Three years ago we were told that we were being disingenuous because we had not told the people the full truth and the import of what was happening in the discussions. Three years on, as the Minister of State will be aware because he has access to the files, the Government had little choice but to accept the need for a bailout programme. It did...

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Some three years ago, Deputy Durkan said the opposite.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I am being constructive.

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I am hopeful rather than optimistic. Where is the social dividend?

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Did the Minister read the Labour Party manifesto?

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the private health insurance in general and address this Bill too. It is hard to believe the Minister is in here, sponsoring this Bill, in view of all he has said about the viability of the health insurance market, the fact that it is contracting rapidly and the fact that what underpins intergenerational solidarity and supports community rating and risk...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: He certainly did, unless the record is mistaken, but I doubt that. In 2006, the Fine Gael leader, Deputy Kenny, said he was opposed to the introduction of risk equalisation, the Government scheme that would see BUPA hand over €160 million over the following three years to its competitor, the State-owned health insurance company VHI. The leader of Fine Gael who said that is now the...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Many of them were selected under very questionable criteria, as the Minister well knows.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: We had that debate before and it highlighted that there were difficulties regarding the selection process. Let us leave that aside for another day. The primary principle of this legislation is to support risk equalisation, as the Minister stated, but it is doing the opposite because of the other policies being pursued. If the Minister came in here and said he would increase the levy but...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister knows it would. The principle of community rating is for younger, healthier people to continually enter the health insurance market and cross-subsidise older people who need health services. That is an actuarial, statistical fact, or, in the Minister's language, an algorithmic progression.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: That will not happen because 6,000 young people are dropping out of private health insurance every month.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: It will be exacerbated by this policy in view of the fact that the Minister has already brought forward other policies that inflate private health insurance premiums. That the Minister can sit there and pretend that is not the case defies logic. I thought we were in difficulties but I now realise we face graver difficulties than I thought.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I thought at some stage the Minister might realise his policies are undermining the very proposals of universal health insurance he and the Minister for Finance espouse. It was an appalling attack on ordinary families who, day in day out, are doing their best to retain their private health insurance. In October or November last year the Minister came to the Dáil with a Health...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister opposed it. He opposed the levy. The only way we can have community rating is through a transfer from people who are low risk to those who are high risk. That is the purpose of community rating and there must be a levy to do this. The Minister opposed the levy, which means that he opposed community rating. A levy is the only way the transfer can be made to those who need it...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I certainly know the Minister is not happy with it. There were leaks about very strong words between the Ministers on this issue which undermined the Minister's credibility with regard to the private health insurance market.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Represented.