There are calls for the Government to build more elective hospitals to meet the increasing demand for non-emergency health services in the country.

This comes as private health insurance provider Laya Healthcare announced a 6.5% price increase from October, citing a "sustained acceleration" in demand.

Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson, David Cullinane, said he has no sympathy for private health insurance providers.

“If so many people are taking out private health insurance because they can't depend on the public system - because the public system is not providing elective procedures on time and people are on long waiting lists - then the solution is clear,” he said.

“If you can reduce that dependency, then many people would not have to take out private health insurance.

“My sympathy is not with the private health insurers; my sympathy is with those who are forced to take out private health insurance because they can't rely on the public system.”

Health services

Deputy Cullinane said that the provision of adequate health services would lessen the need for people to take out expensive private health insurance.

“If you build elective hospitals at scale, it reduces the need for people to actually have to take out private health insurance,” he said.

“What I find is that those who have private health insurance are often paying not just twice, but sometimes three or four times because they still have to pay to access a GP, they still have to pay for some other health services, and they don't get the full benefits from the private insurance they’re paying for.”