Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

What Senator Fitzgerald has said is correct. It is important that Members of this House are aware that the health insurance market is changing, as was witnessed very recently by the purchase of VIVAS by Hibernian. It is important that the VHI is empowered to compete in the market while also ensuring that it does so on an equal footing with its competitors. It is hoped that the Bill will enable the VHI to attain authorisation as an insurer by the end of this year. The recent changes in the market highlight the need to bring forward this particular Bill. Under the Bill, we are determined and anxious that this relevant authorisation will be achieved before the end of this year.