The Government has belatedly published the White Paper on universal health insurance. I am not clear about its exact status. Is it a Green Paper or a White Paper?

White.

No, it is coloured white with black ink.

In terms of the substance contained within the paper, it is very shallow. It has no costings. One might suspect that many aspects of it are being deferred until after the local elections. Obviously, a substantial number of people will either face significant extra taxes or charges arising from it, or will have their existing level of cover restricted or cut back. Will the Taoiseach facilitate a debate in the House on the White Paper as quickly as possible, given the importance it potentially holds for many people? There is a need for clarity regarding the taxation issue. It is inevitable that a sizeable proportion of people will have to pay extra charges. Ultimately, universal health insurance is no more than a funding model. Nothing is free at the end of the day. Someone has to pay for the heath service. The model of funding is the key issue here. Now that the White Paper has been published - shallow and all as it is - I believe it should be debated in the House.

Can the Taoiseach tell us when the health (general practitioner medical service) Bill will be published? The Bill is necessary if the Government is to follow through on its commitment regarding GP care for those aged five years and under. Will that legislation cover those who continue to have their medical cards taken from them in a random fashion? The elimination of discretionary medical cards is one of the scandals of this Government. It has hit hardest those who are sickest. I refer particularly to children with special needs and multiple conditions and to people with motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. When one knocks on doors and people come to one to complain that medical cards have been taken from them in such circumstances, it is difficult to comprehend. It reflects very badly on the Government. We need some legislative response to that in the context of the forthcoming Bill.

I will facilitate a discussion in the House on the White Paper. It is a White Paper. It requires real consultation with people throughout the country.

Does the Taoiseach know what we do with a Green Paper?

The intention is to move from a two-tier system to a single-tier system in which everybody is treated the same. I think people are entitled to know what this will mean for them. For instance, under UHI, for the first time, people who are paying for private health insurance at the moment will have primary-care facilities covered by that package. To be truthful about it, it is not costed because it is necessary to work out the exact system of the basket of services that will be provided under the insurance companies-----

So it is not a White Paper; it is a Green Paper.

-----in respect of which people will have a choice and there is a process to be put in place leading to that. The first part of the process is already under way with the free GP care for those aged under six. Legislation for that will be in here in a couple of weeks, driven by the Minister of State, Deputy White. We will facilitate a discussion here in the House on UHI and I am sure Deputy Kelleher will have some very complimentary remarks to make about it-----

I will have observations anyway.

-----and will have some worthwhile views for us to hear. It is a White Paper, but in fairness it requires a deal of consultation with people around the country.

Regarding the consultation, will the Government publish the memos from the Ministers, Deputies Howlin and Noonan, who had some very important things to say about it?

Did the Deputies opposite not have those already?

I think that the internal Cabinet disagreements would be important in the public consultation we will have.

The UHI paper is the agreed position of the Government. It is one of substance. There are issues of cost constraint in there - it cannot cost any more than the two-tier system that it will replace. There are requirements to come back to Government, and the Minister of the day with Government authorisation will make the decisions in respect of the baskets that are in there in terms of the services so all of that can be discussed.