asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he has received any applications from American private health insurance companies for licences to operate in the Republic; if so, if he will provide details of these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

As the Deputy is, no doubt, aware, the First EEC Non-Life Insurance Co-ordination Directive dated 24 July 1973 has made possible increased access to the Irish market in non-life insurance. The provisions of this directive were applied in this country under the European Communities (Non-Life Insurance) Regulations 1976 dated 28 May 1976. Since then, six non-life insurance undertakings have been authorised to undertake business in Ireland. Each of these authorisations was in respect of all classes of non-life business. I am aware that one of these undertakings is at present contemplating offering a hospitalisation benefit policy for sale. It would not, however, be appropriate for me to divulge either the name of the undertaking or the nature of the proposed policy.