Nearly all parties in parliament have backed a Socialist Party motion calling for the own risk element in the healthcare system to again be frozen at €385.

The own risk is offset against most healthcare bills, such as hospital visits, but not services provided by a family doctor. The aim is to dampen demand and the amount is supposed to rise every year in line with healthcare costs.

SP MP Peter Kwint, who drew up the motion calling for a freeze, described the own risk payment as an ‘idiotic fine for being ill’.

Ministers have not yet said if they will adopt the motion and freeze the payment for a fifth year. The size of the own risk payment for 2022 will be formally announced when the government’s 2022 spending plans are presented to parliament in September.