The health insurance industry is going through a crisis as we speak. There is significant concern and anxiety among many policyholders and members of various insurance companies across the board, including the VHI group, to such an extent that many seasoned analysts claim that the industry is in danger of entering a debt spiral against which the centre cannot hold.

The programme for Government contains extensive proposals on health insurance, in particular the establishment of a hospital insurance fund, which was committed to early in the lifetime of the Government. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House when the hospital insurance fund is to be established? Will he indicate when the injection of capital into the VHI group will occur? Substantial moneys are necessary to sustain it. When will the HSE's function for purchasing care for uninsured patients be given to a hospital care purchase agency?

That is the liberal end of matters on the Order of Business.

In respect of the hospital insurance fund, that is a matter that is under discussion at the moment, both internally and with the European Commission. I do not have a date for the Deputy in respect of the second issue that he raised.

The hospital care purchase agency.

Yes. In respect of health insurance, that legislation is moving through. The Minister is involved with the hospital consultative group and the insurance companies. No decision has been taken by Government on the rates to be applied. The Minister is very conscious of the impact upon subscribers to private health insurance arising from this. That is the reason there are intensive discussions under way with the insurance industry.