Minister’s defence of mandatory maternity cover for elderly is contradictory and unfair
19-08-2026
Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, has said she is “deeply disappointed” by the Minister for Health’s refusal to consider any legislative change that would prevent elderly policyholders being forced to pay for maternity and addiction‑related mental health cover they will never use.
Deputy Nolan was speaking after receiving replies to a series of parliamentary questions she submitted following a case that she had recently highlighted involving an Offaly woman in her eighties who was charged for maternity cover under her VHI plan.
The Minister has now confirmed that she intends to maintain the current regulatory model in full, despite acknowledging that “not all benefits required under the Regulations apply to every insured person,” and that “some benefits relate to particular life stages, age groups or genders.”
Deputy Nolan said the Minister’s position borders on the “contradictory and incoherent,” pointing in particular to the Minister’s reliance on the Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code:
“On the one hand, the Minister insists that elderly people must continue paying for benefits they will never need. On the other hand, she cites the Central Bank’s consumer‑protection rule stating that insurers must only offer the most suitable plan available. How can a plan be considered ‘suitable’ for an 80‑year‑old woman when it contains maternity cover? The tension here is obvious. The Minister and indeed the industry are having it both ways.”
The Offaly TD said the replies show a Government unwilling to confront the real‑world consequences of rigid minimum benefit rules:
“The Minister has doubled down on a system that is clearly outdated. She says the model is fair, yet she refuses to address the fact that elderly people are being charged for services that have no relevance to their lives.”
“Since raising this case, I have debated the matter on Midlands 103 and the response has been overwhelming. People are genuinely shocked that this is happening. The commentary I have received has been hugely supportive, with many people telling me they have faced similar problems.”
“The Minister and the insurance industry may be content to leave elderly and indeed younger people trapped in unsuitable plans, but I am not. I will keep challenging this incoherent policy until we see a system that respects people’s circumstances and applies basic cop‑on. Elderly policyholders deserve better than being told to simply accept unfair charges,” Deputy Nolan concluded.
ENDS