I rise to ask the Tánaiste a question on universal health insurance, UHI, because I cannot get proper information from the Government.

It is a central plank of Government policy that was outlined by the two governing parties in the programme for Government after the 2011 election. We are no further on in terms of seeing any detail on universal health insurance. One should bear in mind it is an essential plank of how we are to fund the health service in the years ahead. We have had reports from the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, stating he is considering alternative options. The ESRI, the Health Insurance Authority and KPMG are all involved in this scoping exercise but we have been scoping for five years now. The Minister is a bit like David Attenborough commentating on a herd of elephants wandering the savanna. There is almost nothing substantial in terms of policy coming from him. Every week, we hear a different view from the Minister on this issue. There was a clear commitment in the programme for Government on how we would fund our health services. We were told it would make our health services more equitable and that people would be able to gain access to health care based on need rather than their ability to pay. Despite this, the Minister consistently gives us mixed messages. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has undermined the policy and said it is unworkable. The Minister for Finance has had a go at it.

With regard to the current position, could the Tánaiste give me an honest answer? This is critical in the twilight of this Dáil as we face an election. The people should certainly know what they will be voting on regarding how we are to fund health care in the years ahead. I have got no honest answer to date from the other side of the House on this central issue. I have heard about universal health care, primary care and other forms of care but I have not heard about a proper, tangible outcome in respect of our position on universal health insurance.

This is outrageous.

We have got the question now.

This is something for which all the Members on the other side campaigned.

This is outrageous.

Is this Topical Issue Matters?

It is now five years on but we are still waiting to find out the position on universal health insurance.

Deputy Kelleher must ask a question now. I want to call the Tánaiste.

I respect the ruling-----

Calm down.

-----but I believe it is time we had an honest answer on this issue. We have had fudge, prevarication and a wandering, meandering view from the Minister for Health on this central issue.

A lot of fudge.

Each and every one of the Members opposite promised only five years ago that if they entered Government, universal health care would be put in place and we would have no problems and a utopian health service.

What we have is far from that.

Other Members want to ask questions and I want to try to facilitate them.

The title of the legislation got a little bit lost in Deputy Kelleher's contribution.

On a point of information, I raised promises in the programme for Government.

On 7 October, the Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, wrote a very extensive, detailed four-page letter to the Deputy's party leader.

A letter.

I invite him to ask his party leader to share the content of the letter with him. Otherwise, I will ask his party leader whether it would be in order for me to give him the letter. It sets out in great detail all the issues the Deputy has raised. Since I am sure the Deputy and his party leader are in fairly constant daily communication-----

Maybe not.

-----he must have had access to it.

Hear, hear.

Among other achievements, it sets out the policy on free general practitioner care for those aged under six and over 70. This has been rolled out as part of universal health care. There was a commitment, which would not have been known publicly on 7 October, to the rolling out of free general practitioner care to primary school children, or children aged 11 and under. It refers to the development throughout the country of primary care centres, which are now providing an alternative to longer stays in hospitals and minor procedures. This is one reason there is such demand for beds but the new models will mean we will be less hospital dependent and more able to provide what is required, particularly regarding procedures at local level. We will also be able to provide free general practitioner care for those aged under six and over 70 and, next year, children of 11 and under. I am sure the Deputy and his party would welcome all that.

I call Deputy Bannon.

On a point of information, I asked about the issue of universal health insurance, not universal health care.

Deputy Kelleher is out of order.

The Deputy should get the letter from his boss.

I believe it is dated 7 October.