John Ellis
Question:58 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Health the percentage increase in VHI subscription rates across all plans over the past five years; and the prevailing rate of inflation at that time. [4574/95]
Written Answers. - VHI Subscription Rates.
Limerick East): I am arranging to have circulated in the Official Report a table which sets out the information requested by the Deputy.
Voluntary Health Insurance Board.
Approved Price Increases.
|
Total Increase |
Allocation |
||||||
|
Plan A |
Plan B |
Plan C |
Plan D |
Plan E |
Plan F |
||
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
February 1989 |
7.0 |
3.0 |
3.2 |
9.8 |
16.0 |
25.0 |
Nil |
|
July 1990 |
4.0 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
3.7 |
|
September 1991 |
5.0 |
3.13 |
5.09 |
5.73 |
6.59 |
3.31 |
0.70 |
|
January 1993 |
4.0 |
4.16 |
4.10 |
4.05 |
4.05 |
4.01 |
3.88 |
|
August 1993 |
6.0 |
5.96 |
6.00 |
6.04 |
6.07 |
6.09 |
6.06 |
|
August 1994 |
9.0 |
6.08 |
8.52 |
9.18 |
11.94 |
11.59 |
5.98 |
Year to year percentage change in indices.
|
Year ended February |
Consumer price index |
|
% |
|
|
1989 |
3.3 |
|
1990 |
4.2 |
|
1991 |
2.6 |
|
1992 |
3.7 |
|
1993 |
1.9 |
|
1994 |
1.7 |
Pat Gallagher
Question:59 Mr. P. Gallagher (Laoighis-Offaly) asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will take up the case of East Timor within the EU Council of Ministers; if the Government supports the principle of self-determination for the people of East Timor; if the Government supports calls for access to East Timor for Amnesty International and the UN Commission for Human Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4626/95]
The Government regularly makes known its concern about the situation in East Timor to partners in the European Union and supports Portugal when it raises the issue. At the General Affairs Council of EU Ministers on 6 February, the Portuguese Foreign Minister, Mr. Durao Barroso, reported to his colleagues on the fifth round of talks which took place on 9 January between Mr. Barroso and the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr. Ali Alatas. Portugal considers that those talks made some progress and the United Nations Secretary-General has undertaken to invite the Timorese, both those who accept and those who reject the Indonesian presence in East Timor, to participate in a dialogue meeting in April.
The issue of self-determination for the people of East Timor is a matter for the parties engaged in the talks which are taking place under the auspices of the United Nations. The Irish Government will support any just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution which emerges from the talks under UN auspices.
The Government support calls on the Indonesian Government to ensure access to East Timor for Amnesty International and for representatives of the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR). At last year's session of the CHR, the chairman issued a consensus statement calling on the Indonesian Government to continue expanding access to East Timor for human rights and humanitarian organisations. The Indonesian Government undertook to invite the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to visit East Timor and the visit took place in July 1994.
The current session of the CHR is taking place in Geneva and negotiations are in progress on the issue of East Timor. It is the strong wish of the Irish Government that the CHR will seek further access to East Timor for human rights and humanitarian organisations and for relevant special rapporteurs and-or working groups of the CHR.