Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Crown on the issue of private health insurance. I work for many insurance companies in my other job. Their practice is generally to avoid paying when they can; that is just how they operate. People should be warned that they should read the small print. I agree with Senator Kelly in that even those of us who should know better do not always read the small print. In many instances, people find out about problems with their health insurance cover when they are most unwell and in a very vulnerable state. This issue should be debated, not least because of the serious rise in the cost of health insurance, irrespective of the company one is with. We could very usefully debate this in the House in the very near future.

Let me raise an issue brought to my attention by a councillor in Dungarvan, of which issue I have no doubt the Leader will be aware. There has been an increase in rates of between 30% and 100% for many of the businesses in the town. One business saw an increase of 1,100%. Can one imagine this? The increases are devastating for the retail sector, especially in a small provincial town. I am concerned about a precedent being set for other small towns. We should invite the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House to discuss this in the very near future. The rates increases are stifling small towns.

I was surprised but highly irritated when I read the newspapers on Sunday to see that supermarkets are still peddling below-cost beer aggressively. Incredibly, beer in Tesco was cheaper than water and other soft drinks during promotions that were advertised in many Sunday newspapers last weekend. I am often slagged for being a killjoy in this area but it should be noted I enjoy a drink as much as the next person. However, what is occurring is clearly wrong in every sense. How on earth can beer cost less than water or fruit juice? What sort of message is this sending out? Retailers are selling beer for just 65 cent per bottle while bottles of water are retailing at 90 cent. This highlights the need to stop the below-cost selling of alcohol with immediate effect. I do not know what is happening with the alcohol strategy but understand issues arise over the advertising aspect. We have heard much debate in recent surveys that has centred on alcohol sponsorship. A far simpler, quicker and more effective way of reducing dangerous and excessive consumption of alcohol by young people, and people at home in a less controlled environment, is to end the below-cost selling of alcohol. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, should be invited to the House to discuss this ever-worsening and very serious problem.