What about Deputy Michael Collins's own area? He is aware of the really important investment we are putting into Ballincollig. He is aware that we have taken cataract surgery out of Cork University Hospital and put it into South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and Ballincollig. I fully accept that it is not fixed and that we are not there yet but what you will find-----

Democratic debate may not suit the Deputy; I fully appreciate that.

I appreciate that parliamentary debate may not suit the Deputy.

I appreciate that the record investment in healthcare in Kerry and Cork does not suit the Deputies' election campaigns-----

-----but it is nonetheless true. No matter how much the Deputies shout at the Government and how many times they come in here with false information, it is a fact.

It may not suit the Deputies that there is record investment. Not for a moment am I suggesting that everything is fixed. Deputies Cullinane and Shortall and others have rightly pointed out that we have several years to go but it is undeniable that our healthcare workers, who have been hired in record numbers, are turning this ship around.

In my constituency and the Deputies' constituencies, they are turning it around.

They are reducing waiting times and rolling out new services.

The Deputies can shout as much as they like-----

-----but it will not take from the improvements that healthcare workers are making in their constituencies and mine.

I move: That, pursuant to Standing Order 233(2), Standing Order 187 is modified to provide that it be an instruction to the Committee on the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024, that it has the power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of the existing subject matter of the Bill, in relation to: the Health Act 1970, to provide that HSE Guidelines on "ordinarily resident in the State" apply to certain women who receive menopause products; the Health Act 1970, to provide for the making availa…

I move: THAT section 125A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999) be amended to provide for the specified rate of stamp duty in respect of an insured person in respect of relevant contracts renewed or entered into on or after 1st January, 2025, and on or before 31st March, 2025, and on or after 1st April, 2025, in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution.

I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “PART 1 PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement 1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Act 2024. (2) The Health Acts 1947 to 2022 and Part 2 (other than section 5 ) may be cited together as the Health Acts 1947 to 2024. (3) The Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2023 and Part 3 (other than section 9 ) may be cited toge…

It is a bit away but it is certainly part of the planning. The latest information I have is St. Vincent's, that is, the national maternity hospital, is still the preferred location for that. On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, sometimes a spirited response is required.

I know you are. I was smiling because, like the Deputy, I speak to healthcare workers every day. He heard me repeatedly accept everything is not perfect. I am the first to admit that. We deal with it every day. We are about halfway through the journey that needs to be taken. It goes to something Deputy Healy-Rae was saying, which is that I am acutely aware the vast majority of the discussion - like 99% of it - in the Oireachtas and media is, for perfectly understandable reasons, about what is not working. I know De…

I accept that and I am not suggesting everything is perfect. The Deputy talked of an application for a new CT scanner. That will be looked at. The capital budget is bigger than it has ever been. The Deputy did not say and may not have been told that last year and this year two new X-ray machines were funded, there is a national pelvic floor health centre in St. Michael's and additional specialist roles have been funded through last year and this. There is ongoing investment in St. Michael's. St. Michael's bigger br…

I will finish on this.

We do not want to do that.

Thank you. In section 1, amendment No. 1 is a consequential amendment to the preliminary and general part of the Bill, required as a result of amendments inserting the hormone replacement therapy provisions. Amendment No. 2 inserts a new Part 2 into the Bill, to provide for free hormone replacement therapy products related to menopause for certain women. It also provides a drafting clarification relating to how the Health Act 1970 is referenced within the Bill. Amendment No. 3 provides that the new section being in…

I cannot get into ophthalmology in this debate but I am more than happy to speak to Deputy Healy-Rae about it offline. I will respond to his relevant question on the healthcare providers who are required to support patients. With regard to the margin for pharmacists, the current situation is that pharmacists will have two types of patients. These are patients with medical cards and private patients. At present a patient with a medical card already has full free access to HRT and the pharmacist is paid a set amount …