Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I assure the Leas-Chathaoirleach that I support the timetable he described and I will, of course, comply. We are trying to get some competition to reduce costs and I support what Senator Colm Burke and the Minister have said. We have a system based on the risk equalisation subsidy to older people, and the VHI, which has the majority of them, gets most of the money. What else could we do? We could close membership of the VHI to old and sick people. We could require the new health insurance providers to recruit a proportion of their membership from designated target groups and make them increase their 6%. I want them to be able to present better deals to both young and old people, and allow the Minister to do his job as Minister for Health rather than having to take on the failures of insurance companies to shop around, get better value and pass it on to their consumers, regardless of whether they are young or old. Perhaps we should inform all old and sick VHI customers of alternative plans that are available and have an ombudsman to deal with cases where anybody is denied cover.

I thank Senator Colm Burke and the Minister because this is an important one relative to the goal. I will not move the amendment and will not be excessively verbose.