Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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297. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline the measures her Department and the Health Insurance Authority are taking in response to ongoing premium increases by private health insurers, including recent price adjustments by a company (details supplied); if she will consider options to strengthen consumer protection and improve transparency in the regulation of private health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66435/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Health is responsible for the legal framework governing the health insurance market in Ireland. This is a voluntary market operating under the principles of community rating, open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefit. Community rating ensures that everyone can buy the same policy at the same price, regardless of age, gender or health status.

The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) regulates the market to ensure compliance with these principles and supports consumers through a range of measures, including:

• Monitoring the application of community rating and other statutory requirements.
• Operating a free, impartial product comparison tool on its website.