Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is always good to see the Minister of State. She is welcome. This Bill is an annual review of the risk-equalisation mechanism that supports the community-based health insurance market. Risk equalisation as a principle ensures costs are constant across the lifespan of an individual. It seeks to ensure, where possible, that age, gender and health status do not influence the cost of an insurance product.

Sinn Féin recognises the reliance of many people on health insurance and will support the Bill, as we have in previous years. The high level of people relying on private health insurance - I think it is 47% - is an indictment of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil's failure to deliver a fit-for-purpose public health service. People take out private health insurance because they do not and cannot trust the public health service to deliver timely access to the care they need. I do not blame people for using private insurance. If they can afford it, they do not see a choice. The consequences fall on those who cannot afford it and that is wrong. The health service should be based on three principles: that it is free at the point of delivery, that it is there for everyone and that use of it is based on clinical need. That debate will continue into the new year.

I draw attention again to the horrific status of University Hospital Limerick. I checked the figures again this morning. Patients on trolleys for the year are at 20,216, according to INMO figures. That compares to 18,000 for last year.