Cabinet hospital plan an obscenity

THE Government’s plan to co-locate private hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals is an “obscenity” that will benefit only wealthy developers, Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader, said Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin.

Under the plan, sites on a number of public hospital campuses will be sold to developers to build private facilities. Health Minister Mary Harney hopes to free up 1,000 beds by moving private beds out of the public hospitals and into the private ones.

Mr Ó Caoláin warned that the scheme would serve only to reinforce the two-tier health service.