Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

The Minister is trying to progress this issue with them through persuasion. The VHI has rejected at least eight applications for additional facilities across the country on the grounds that there was already an adequate supply of services in their respective areas.

I picked up on most of the issues raised. I thank everybody who contributed. This important legislation deals with a specific issue and should be considered in the context of the overall reform agenda to which the Government is fully committed. I am aware the Senators opposite are also committed to introducing these reforms and I very much welcome that support.

Considerable work is under way and I hope that all of the Members of this House will start to see the benefits of the work that is under way from next year on, when we start the roll-out of universal GP care, and, hopefully, closely allied to that, the roll-out of the chronic disease management programmes. For example, I am keen to see the commencement of the diabetes programme next year. It will really bring it home to people that the way we deliver services does not make sense and how we can do it in a way much more responsive to people's needs which achieves far better health results and which is cost effective. I hope all of those benefits will start to materialise in the middle part of next year. I look forward to the support of Members in that regard.

The Government is fully satisfied of the requirement to provide for a risk equalisation mechanism along the proposed lines. The main objective is to ensure the continuation of an interim scheme next year. The scheme already made a significant contribution to community rating since 2009, and has succeeded in transferring funds from low-risk to high-risk groups, which is, essentially, what this is about.