Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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728. To ask the Minister for Health if he will be establishing the expert commission on the future basket of services, including those that will be covered under universal health insurance, UHI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41778/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government published the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance in April. This set out the Government's proposals for a universal, single-tier health service for Ireland. A public consultation on the White Paper was undertaken and I have recently received the report of the independent thematic analysis of the submissions on the proposals. My Department has also initiated a major costing exercise for UHI, led by the ESRI. I expect to have initial costings by the end of the first quarter of 2015.

When I became Minister for Health I reviewed our progress to date and the timescales for implementing very important reforms, including UHI. I came to the conclusion that the target date of 2019 for full implementation of UHI may be too ambitious. In this context I have decided to postpone, for the moment, establishing an Expert Commission on the basket of services. However, I want to emphasise my commitment to pressing ahead with reforms such as free GP care, establishment of hospital groups and implementation of Money Follows the Patient - all of which are important building blocks for a universal health care system. When I receive the results of the ESRI costing exercise next year I will be in a position to set out in more detail the next steps on the road to universal health care.