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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Health reform Bill and universal insurance

Summary

Willie O’Dea again demands a publication date for the health reform Bill, calling its removal from the legislative programme a broken commitment to universal health insurance. The Taoiseach declines to give a date, citing preparatory health reforms.

I think the Taoiseach was trying to explain to the House-----

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

With the greatest respect to the Taoiseach and you, Deputy, this is the Order of Business and it is my duty to continue. We only have four minutes left and four other Deputies wish to contribute.

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The Fine Gael and Labour Party programme for Government states that a system of universal health insurance will be introduced by 2016. It could not be more definitive. The health reform Bill was an essential part of the process to put that system in place. That Bill was on the A list of the legislative programme in the last session, but it has now been removed from that list. When does the Taoiseach expect the health reform Bill to be published?

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I will not indicate a date for it. As I have already said, the necessary foundations of the hospital groups, the money follows the patient principle, primary care and other such areas are of absolute priority for the Minister-----

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

-----and they must be put in place before we can get to universal health insurance in the second term of government.

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The Taoiseach is engaged in unreconstructed waffle.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

That is the situation.

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How does the Taoiseach know the Government will get a second term?

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I should point out to Deputy Fleming that we invested €4 billion in Bank of Ireland and we have taken back €6 billion. We still own 15% of it.

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Deputy O'Dea might not be here.

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Deputy Kehoe might not be either. He should not count his chickens.

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