Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

We did not get an opportunity to have a proper debate prior to the budget. There are further reports today of a 10% increase in premiums for private health insurance policy holders. This increase will be brought about because the Minister for Health is going to impose a 31% increase on private health insurers for the use of public beds. Is the Leader aware that since 2009, more than 110,000 people have had to give up their private health insurance because of the economic situation, with 43,000 giving up private health insurance in the first half of the year? How does it make it even remotely attractive for people to have private health insurance with a further increase of at least 10% on private health insurance premiums? It will push tens of thousands out of the net and increase the pressure on the public health system.

This is a serious departure that we heard about yet again by way of a leak. It is said that it will be announced in the budget next week. As every day passes, I am wondering how many things will be shoved in under the radar. I am calling for a specific debate on this issue.

During Private Members' business last night, we had an interesting debate on the Fianna Fáil motion on public nursing home beds and community hospitals. I raised the point that the Minister for Health should not preside over Government policy on public and private nursing homes because of his conflict of interest. It is a serious issue and I would like the Government to address it. We cannot have a situation where a Minister closes public nursing home beds to fill private nursing home beds when he is linked to that system. It is outrageous this individual is overseeing Government policy in this area.

AIB acceded to the Government request on the recent ECB interest rate reduction but Bank of Ireland and the ICS Building Society did not. The Leader and Senator Bacik told me that if the banks did not pass on the rate decreases, the Government would introduce legislation. We have prepared legislation on this and will introduce it but where is the Government's legislation? What about the mortgage holders in Bank of Ireland and ICS Building Society? There will be at least two more rate decreases. What is the Government doing? I am going to give up even asking about this.