Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome and I thank her for coming to discuss this all-important issue. While I realise it is pretty much a technical Bill, I welcome the fact people will be able to, as was alluded to, have some extra money in their pockets as a result of it. Senator Gavan raised the problems around Limerick hospital and the fact people are taking up beds, but we now have a Vhi SwiftCare clinic and a Laya healthcare clinic in Limerick. I have to compliment the staff working there. I have not used it personally myself, thank God, but have used it in Dublin and Cork. I have heard great compliments on the efficiencies of the clinics and how they are working, and also that people have been able to have relevant scans or X-rays. It is helping to keep people out of the public hospital on one side, while I know it is a problem on the other side with regard to some issues they cannot deal with. One used to be able to claim tax relief on private health insurance. One could put it against one's tax bill at the end of every year. That was done away with. It is something that needs to be looked at in order that people could get a tax relief-----