Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their contributions to today's debate and facilitating the passage of the Bill. I thank them for their support. I will try to deal with a few of the issues that were raised. Senator Clifford-Lee raised the issue of the reduction in stamp duty. Taking into consideration the surplus built up, the stamp duty on advanced health insurance contracts will be €406. This is a decrease of €43 from 2021 rates. On non-advanced health insurance contracts, the stamp duty will be €122. This is a decrease of €35 from the 2021 rates. That is positive.

Senator Gavan asked about the rationale for the increased reasonable profit from 4.4% to 6%. The risk equalisation scheme requires approval under state aid rules by the European Commission and a condition of approval is that the net beneficiary cannot be overcompensated. The reasonable profit figure is used for an over-compensation test which is conducted every three years the scheme operates. It assesses whether a net beneficiary of the risk equalisation scheme has surpassed the reasonable profit and, if so, any excess profit is returned to the risk equalisation fund.

The Bill provides for a small increase from 4.4% to 6% on sales. This figure was recommended by the Health Insurance Authority, having obtained the services of external economic consultants. This 6% figure is at the lower end of the scale recommended by the review. The Minister for Health does not have a role in setting prices for health insurance products or targets for profits and this year's Bill reduces the stamp duty on health insurance contracts, which is hoped will be reflected positively in the insurer pricing.

I will refer to Sláintecare. It is important, because when this Bill was discussed in the Dáil last week, we heard a lot of contributions pointing out that 46% of people in Ireland have private health insurance. However, I was pleased to inform the Dáil that 42% of people in Ireland have a medical card or a doctor-only card. Many people have access to free GP care and 36% of them have a medical card.

I will touch on Sláintecare, because many Deputies and Senators referred to it. The Sláintecare Implementation Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2023 was approved by Government in May this year. The six-month progress report published last month indicated that of the 112 deliverables, 109 were on track or progressing with minor challenges. I expect the progress to continue at pace in 2022, supported by the allocation in budget 2022 of €21 billion, which was the biggest-ever investment in Ireland's health and social care service to deliver Sláintecare.

There is no doubt about the appreciation in both Houses of the importance of Sláintecare and moving it forward. We saw Sláintecare at its best this year, when 8.2 million doses of a vaccine were administered, free at the point of entry, with access to all. That proves what Sláintecare is all about.

Senator Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of health insurance for non-EEA students in a Commencement matter last week and it was raised by other Senators.The issue concerns non-EEA students studying in Ireland who are required by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service in the Department of Justice to meet certain visa requirements when studying in the country, one of which relates to health insurance. In order to meet immigration requirements, non-EEA students studying in Ireland for more than one year must purchase a health insurance policy from an insurance provider registered with the Health Insurance Authority, which is the independent statutory regulator of the Irish market. This position has been affirmed in the Irish courts. I know this is causing a lot of bother for students from non-EEA countries studying in Ireland. I understand the officials are engaging on this and that there will be a positive update in the new year. This is as much information as I have. There is a lot of work going on in the background on this issue. I thank everyone for raising it. It is only when these issues are raised on the floor of the Seanad or Dáil that they come to people's attention.