Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 7, before section 9, but in Part 3, to insert the following new section:

"9.—The Minister shall lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the amount deferred both by those persons over 70 that hold a medical card and those that do not.".

This amendment might be a bit difficult to understand but it concerns the health levy. It goes without saying that everybody with a medical card does not pay a health levy, regardless of whether one is over or under 70. A new section is being introduced such that everybody over 70 who will not receive a medical card will not have to pay the levy. Is it possible that the Minister could provide to the House the amount of the health levy that is not paid by those over 70 with a medical card and the amount of the health levy not paid by those over 70 without a medical card? Could the Revenue Commissioners provide this information to the House so we will have an indication of how important the Government's section was? There is much talk about millionaires and billionaires and very rich people to whom the Government feels it should not be giving a medical card. In respect of these people, the 2% health levy would amount to a significant sum. Does the Minister of State feel we should examine the two figures I seek? If the multimillionaires and billionaires about whom the Government representatives are talking were actually paying the health levy, we might be able to give the medical card to 99% of those over 70.