I wish to raise with the Taoiseach a particular set of decisions made in the budget relating to increases in a number of health charges. The charge for attending an accident and emergency department in a hospital was raised in the budget to €100, bringing it now to almost seven times what it cost in 1997, approximately €15. The charge for an overnight stay in a hospital has been raised to €75, three times what it cost in 1997. The threshold for the drug refund scheme has been increased to €100, over four times its cost in 1997. By any standards, these are very substantial increases in taxation on illness because the only people eligible to pay these taxes are those who are sick, who need to get into hospital or who need drugs.

I wish to raise in particular the impact of those charges on low-income families. I want the Taoiseach to consider the case of a working family, a couple with two children, with a family income of €25,000 per year. The Taoiseach's Government considers this family to be too well-off to have a medical card so they would be liable to pay the accident and emergency charge if a family member had to go to hospital. What does that family do in the middle of the night if a child gets sick, they cannot get a doctor and they do not have the €100 to bring the child to the accident and emergency department? What would be the Taoiseach's advice to that family?

Obviously, they would go to the accident and emergency department and have the child treated. That is what they would and will do. In respect of any charges that arise as a result, I am sure that would be dealt with in due course on the basis of ability to pay. That is what happens. As the Deputy says, where there is referral from the GP to the hospital, it is a different situation in respect of the charge. That charge is envisaged for situations when people arrive at accident and emergency without GP referral. People will continue to attend if a child's requirements merit their attendance.

That answer shows how out of touch the Taoiseach is with the reality of people's lives and the difficulties they have in making ends meet. I do not know if the Taoiseach is aware but where one turns up with a child at a hospital without money to pay the charge, the hospital refers the debt to debt collectors.

Solicitors' letters.

Solicitors send letters to the people concerned. Does the Taoiseach believe it is fair or reasonable that a family on that level of income, of €500 or less a week, should pay the charge? They have a sick child, cannot get a doctor and even if they could, the call out charge for a doctor would be of that order anyway.

The Taoiseach is right. They decide, as most parents would, faced with a sick child in the middle of the night, to get the care. They will bring the child to the hospital. The problem is where they will find the €100 to pay for it. On that level of income, that is a very severe charge. Is the Taoiseach suggesting that, if the hospital visit were to be on a Thursday night before pay day, that the family call around by the hospital on the way home from work on the Friday and pay €100 from the small wage they have? Is that how they will pay and is that a fair charge? This was one of the increases applied in the budget and it will impact on people on that level of income. Does the Taoiseach think this is fair?

It is fair that we ensure we continue to invest in the health service and provide expanded services, as we are doing. In relation to specific cases——

I referred to people on small wages.

The Deputy talked about people being out of touch. I am not in any way out of touch.

Is the Taoiseach's egalitarianism coming into play?

In the case raised, if people bring their child to the hospital they will be dealt with.

What if they do not have €100?

They will be billed by the hospital administrator and will pay the bill in due course, as they pay other bills in their family or as part of other responsibilities.

The Taoiseach should tell that to those affected.

I do not have to tell them because it is what people do.

On the increase in the drug refund scheme threshold, when Deputy Gilmore was in office we did not have such a scheme. At that time, one paid and waited for three months to get a refund. Working families waited for much more than £100 and were being taxed at 26% at the time. The Government has removed such families from the tax net.