Déirdre de Búrca (Green Party)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and the opportunity to speak about the Health Bill 2008. It is obvious from the fractious nature of the debate in the Chamber that we are discussing an emotive issue. It is emotive because there are many older people who regard the withdrawal of universal access to a medical card by those over 70 as regressive. The Green Party did not support the universal availability of free medical cards for those over 70 in the first instance. Therefore, the party is happy that the scheme being established in this Health Bill will allow 95% of older people to have free medical cards. The 5% who will be excluded are those individuals over 70 who are among the top 5% of income earners. We are happy that is a fair and sustainable system to look after the health care needs of older people.

As mentioned by the Minister of State, it is important to note that the number of people over 70 is projected to grow over the coming years, to 363,000 by 2011, 433,000 by 2016 and 535,000 by 2021. The question for all legislators concerns how the State will ensure that the real health needs of the older population will be addressed and that any financial assistance they need to meet the cost of addressing those needs will be provided. When we consider the growing number of older people, we must be sensible and realistic about what can be afforded.

Members referred to other EU member states with better systems of universal entitlement to health care, and we need to examine these systems. Those other countries have different models in place and certainly do not have our low rate of taxation. It is impossible to argue for health care systems based on universal entitlement, as the Opposition seems to be doing, in an economy with the lowest rate of taxation in the European Union. We must be honest with ourselves and admit that if we are in favour of universal entitlement to certain essential services, as is the Green Party, we need to pursue a different economic model, a model that recognises that much higher rates of taxation are necessary. That is a national debate that will have to take place.