Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her Department's role in regulating the health insurance market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26592/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department's role in relation to the regulation of the health insurance market is to provide the appropriate regulatory framework, thereby providing adequate statutory protection for the core principles of community rating, open enrolment and lifetime cover and also facilitating the development of the market.

The Health Insurance Authority was set up under the Health Insurance Acts with a role to monitor the operation of this Act and the carrying on of health insurance business and developments in relation to health insurance generally. It is also to advise the Minister either at his or her request or on its own initiative on matters relating to the functions of the Minister under this Act, the functions of the Authority and health insurance generally.

Under the current regulatory framework the proportion of the population availing of voluntary health insurance cover has continued to grow with 51% of the population now availing of health insurance as an alternative to their public eligibility.