EU puts Ireland in dock over Vhi funds failure

THE Government is being taken to court because it has not forced the Voluntary Health Insurance (Vhi) to put aside sufficient money to comply with EU insurance regulations.

Both the Department of Health and the Vhi said they hoped to fulfil requirements as soon as possible. They told the European Commission they would be in compliance by September.

The prosecution was launched by Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy two years ago following a complaint from Vivas, then the smallest of the health insurance companies in the Irish market.