Martin: Decision on BUPA future lies with company itself

Minister for Enterprise Micheal Martin has said the ultimate decision on BUPA's future in Ireland rests with the company.

Mr Martin was speaking after holding talks this morning with community representatives in Fermoy, where some 200 BUPA workers are set to lose their jobs after the firm's decision to exit the Irish market.

BUPA is pulling out because of the introduction of "risk equalisation", which would force the company to pay millions of euro to its main competitor, the VHI.

The company's workers mounted a demonstration outside this morning's meeting urging the minister to persuade his government colleagues to scrap the risk equalisation scheme.

However, speaking afterwards, Mr Martin said the Government was committed to protecting the situation whereby everybody pays the same health insurance premiums, regardless of their age and health status.

Risk equalisation is seen as vital to ensure that elderly and sick people are not charged higher premiums due to their increased need for healthcare.

Mr Martin said this morning that the Government was committed to protecting this situation and the last thing he wanted to do was to raise the hopes of BUPA workers.