Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome that because, as the Minister of State said, it is important given the very high level of insurance that Irish people take out. It is important that there is confidence in the market and the various providers and that the VHI continues to provide the sort of services which it has provided very effectively for a long time.

However, it may be that those who are paying for private health insurance in this State will not be able to avail of quite the level of service they have experienced up to now given the pressures on the health service and waiting lists for both public and private facilities. This must remain a concern for many.