Earlier, the Taoiseach said that the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, wanted six weeks to come back on the legislation to introduce universal primary care. The programme for Government contains a commitment that under the new general practitioner contract, the rate of remuneration of GPs will be reduced. Clearly, that is linked to promised legislation in the programme. Yesterday, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said it would take eight to ten months to prepare legislation to give effect to the promises in the programme for Government on primary care. This statement comes after two and a half years of stalling on the issue. The programme for Government indicates that the legislative basis for universal primary care will be established in a universal primary care Act. Given the conflicting messages that are emerging, when does the Taoiseach expect the universal primary care Bill to be published?

Universal health care is to be introduced at the end of this period of Government. The Minister of State has quite rightly requested time to reflect on a more efficient and effective delivery of the process for free general practitioner care services. As I said in reply to an earlier question of Deputy Martin's, the immediate focus of the Minister of State is persons with long-term illnesses. I will report to the House when the Minister of State reverts with his proposals on a more effective process for general practitioner care. Universal health care insurance is not due to be introduced until the end of the period of Government.

I did not ask about that. I asked about the commitment in the programme for Government to introduce a universal primary care Act, as the legislative basis for universal primary care.

These things are related, as the Deputy points out. I suggest he wait until we have a set of proposals from the Minister of State at the end of the month, at which time I will be able to provide a more accurate read on the timeline for legislation. I do not know what spokesperson was talking about an eight-month period. There is a bottleneck which we must discuss and which is affecting the range of legislation we can get through between the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and individual Departments. I will provide the House with an update when the Minister of State reports back. His proposals will include the legislation Deputy Martin mentioned.

Clearly, whoever put the programme for Government together did not have a clue what he or she was doing. The Government committed to a primary care Act but now the Taoiseach cannot even tell us if it is going to happen or when it is going to happen.

Maybe the outgoing Government did it.

It is ridiculous.