Reforms a farce that ‘Flann O’Brien couldn’t have conceived’

Health Minister James Reilly has been lambasted by the head of the Irish Medical Organisation for presiding over a reform “farce” that even “Flann O’Brien couldn’t have conceived”.

In his keynote address, the organisation’s chief executive George McNeice hit out at Dr Reilly for allowing “mandarins” to still “defend the indefensible”, the medical cards delays “farce”, junior doctor shortages “chaos”, and a “two-tier system where neither tier now commands much respect”.

Mr McNeice criticised the litany of broken promises since the general election last year, a GP system “creaking under the weight” of responsibilities, an ongoing manpower crisis at a time of mass emigration, the “madness” of privatising primary care and the “dangerous path” of only talking about the health service in financial terms.