Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the Senator pointed out, the younger, healthier cohort is leaving the system, but because it is younger and healthier it has not placed an additional burden on the public sector. I hope we will all age and it should not be considered such a burden because it is also a contribution. To grow old is positive. As we age, the burden begins, but I hope economic circumstances will change. I also hope the health service will change in that we should not all end up in a long-stay care setting. Senator Feargal Quinn rightly points out that we will live longer and stay healthier for longer periods. It is appropriate that we charge everyone who uses the public health service because, as it is, it is reimbursing the private health system to the tune of €200 million per year, which is unsustainable.

I had not seen any evidence that insurance costs would increase by 30%. When making our case, we are inclined to exaggerate in our arguments, which is not wrong. Premiums will not increase by 30% and the Minister has asked for evidence from insurers in this respect. I will pass on to him the request made by Senator Darragh O'Brien that the evidence be published, but I do not have it. The Minister would not be so adamant if he was not sure of his figures.

The Minister did not announce a new health insurance forum. He established the consultative forum on health insurance last year to identify ways of addressing costs throughout the industry. I spoke to the officials when Senator Darragh O'Brien asked about the matter. Work has been ongoing on the matter, not intermittently but on an intensive and regular basis. The Minister has not decided on who the chairperson will be, but that does not mean the forum has not worked. It has several subcommittees which have been working.

The figure of 8% tells us something. If health is about social protection and our well-being, it is equally about actuarial figures. With regard to the fair deal scheme, we collected a sum of €6.4 million, in which Senator Colm Burke was particularly interested. In 13 cases, the sum not collected amounts to €14 million.

With regard to Senator Darragh O'Brien's comment on free GP care, the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, is responsible for that issue. He is examining options for the roll-out of the universal GP service. He briefed the Taoiseach on this work and the Taoiseach has reported to the Dáil on it. I meet the Minister of State on a regular basis.

This morning someone said that if we were to introduce a universal system of health care, we would not start from here. The difficulty is the chaotic system of payment, fees and levies and how the money is collected. It is not simple and straightforward, but if matters were simple, we would have done it a long time ago.

The provision of medical cards for people with long-term illnesses was never proposed. It was proposed that people with long-term illnesses receive GP cards as a first step towards universal GP care.