IRISH Life & Permanent (IL&P) is set to become the new owner of Quinn Healthcare — the latest element of the Quinn Group of businesses set for sale — before the end of the year.

JUST four years ago Seán Quinn was Ireland’s richest man worth almost €5 billion.

IT is a rags-to-riches tale that without skilled intervention could yet end in tears for Sean Quinn.

Billionaire tycoon Sean Quinn tonight accused the Financial Regulator of putting 5,500 jobs at risk after it penalised his family business for a second time.

BILLIONAIRE businessman Seán Quinn will be glad to see the back of 2008 for a number of reasons.

CUSTOMERS are uncertain how health insurance premiums will be charged after a landmark court ruling quashed the legal basis for calculating fees.

THE newest entry to the health insurance market claims an average family can save more than €400 a year by switching from VHI.

HEALTH insurance company BUPA yesterday announced record profits of €558.91 million for 2007 after selling its Irish interests last year.

MEDICAL expenses, bin charges, trade union subscriptions, childcare services, rent and mortgage costs and tuition fees are just some of the areas where ordinary taxpayers can save money by becoming aware of what tax relief they are entitled to.

MANY families will pay more than €1,800 a year for medical cover after the VHI announced an inflation-busting 8.5% hike from September.

ONE of Ireland’s richest men has been summoned to Killenaule District Court by Judge Terence Finn to answer questions on his company’s policy of providing insurance certificates to customers.

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney was accused yesterday of making people more afraid of using the public hospital system so that they would take out private health insurance.

Vhi Healthcare has today responded to accusations by Sean Quinn of Quinn Healthcare that Vhi enjoys an “anti-competitive and dominant position” which is “being reinforced by the Government”.

The largest health insurer VHI should not receive any risk equalisation payments until its market share is significantly reduced, its competitor Vivas Health claimed yesterday.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern has welcomed the Quinn group's decision to remain a player in the health insurance market.

THE uncertainty pervading Ireland’s health-insurance market has given way to a profound sense of relief for tens of thousands of former BUPA customers and its 300 workers.

The 300 workers at Bupa Ireland’s base in Fermoy, Cork today pleaded with the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to safeguard their jobs.

Minister for Health Mary Harney today defended rushing emergency legislation through the Oireachtas to close a legal loophole allowing new entrants to the health insurance market to avoid expensive risk equalisation payments.

RISK equalisation will still be needed in Ireland’s evolving health insurance market to support community rating because the two issues are so closely linked, the Society of Actuaries in Ireland insisted yesterday.

HEALTH insurance giant VHI last night demanded the Government clear up the law on its rival insurers so that BUPA Ireland will have to pay its €52 million a year community rating bill.

One of Ireland’s richest businessmen today announced he has taken over BUPA Ireland.

BUPA Ireland has withdrawn as sponsors of the Cork City Sports following their withdrawal from the Irish health insurance market.

French company FCI Ireland BV has just announced it is to close its Co Cork manufacturing plant by the end of next year with the loss of 240 jobs.

An expert group was appointed to review the health-insurance industry in Ireland following BUPA’s decision to exit the market, it was confirmed today.

PAUL MILLS referred to BUPA Ireland’s forced departure from the Irish market (Irish Examiner, January 4).

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney called on departing private health insurer Bupa to hand over its customer files to allow Axa take over its business within weeks.

AS an employee of BUPA Ireland, I was present last Monday morning to meet the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, at the Grand Hotel in Fermoy, Co Cork.

I WAS shocked and appalled to hear the Taoiseach’s callous off-hand remarks last Friday about a company that came into this country in good faith to provide competition in health insurance for the first time.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern angrily lashed out today at health insurer Bupa’s decision to pull out of Ireland following the long-running row over risk equalisation payments.

Where the commercial viability of one firm came into conflict with the greater good of the wider community, there was really only going to be one winner.

SINCE it entered the Irish market, nearly 10 years ago, BUPA Ireland insisted it would never accept the imposition of blanket risk equalisation.

DONAL LEHANE has worked for BUPA for 10 years, as has his wife, but now the couple, like so many others in the Fermoy headquarters, must plan new ways to support their two young children.

Minister for Health Mary Harney today defended a controversial Government scheme designed to bring fairness to health insurance after BUPA announced it was quitting Ireland in protest.

BUPA Ireland could continue to make a profit and subsidise VHI’s older customer base, the head of the State-sponsored insurance body insisted yesterday.

THE High Court’s decision to reject BUPA’s claim that risk equalisation was anti- competitive and illegal could kick-start real price competition in the health insurance market, a consumer watchdog said yesterday.

THE long-awaited judgment of the High Court in the battle between Ireland’s health insurance operators means BUPA will have to compensate VHI because of its older membership base.

BUPA Cork City Sports has rocketed into up to third place on the European list of Permit Meetings and just below Grand Prix status, which is determined on budgets, attendances, appearance money and television coverage as well as performances on the track.

Up to one third of the population of Ireland have high cholesterol and blood pressure, according to a new survey by Bupa Ireland.

More than 200 athletes are set to gather in Cork for the 55th BUPA Ireland Cork City Sports this weekend. Athletes from 32 countries with compete in 20 events and some well-known names are in the line-up.

Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) premiums, which have more than doubled since 1999, are due to go up by a further 12.5% in September, after the company announced losses of €32 million for last year.

BUPA Ireland says its latest price rise is just slightly less than this month's 10% increase in the cost of private beds in public hospitals.

DERVAL O’ROURKE is all set to take her place in the line-up for the 100m hurdles at the BUPA Cork City Sports this afternoon relieved to be finally able to get her outdoor season under way after an injury scare.

HEALTH insurer BUPA, which is currently resisting attempts to force it to subsidise rivals VHI, has announced a €1 million investment and the creation of 40 jobs at its Irish headquarters in Fermoy, Co Cork.