Sean Barrett (Independent)

At 1 p.m., Mr. Chopra will address the nation on television about the recovery package. Will the Leader impress upon the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, the need to expedite our request that Mr. Chopra should address the House? The Parliament has an important role to play in national recovery.

Arising from our most useful debate last Friday on the health service, I call on the Leader to impress upon the Minister for Health that he should not wait five years to introduce the new scheme for health insurance. The state of the health service is a matter of political concern in the House at almost every sitting and it will delay our national recovery. I cannot see the reason for waiting five years because the State already knows the number of people who have medical cards and private health insurance. It is important for the Leader to impress upon the Minister for Health the need to bring forward this reforming scheme far sooner than the five year period envisaged.