Government unable to spin Universal Health Insurance scheme to a positive light

If the Government believed it could spin the scrapping of universal health insurance (UHI) as anything but an embarrassing and damaging U-turn, in the Dáil yesterday it was told in no uncertain terms the PR strategy had failed.

In a series of confrontations with the opposition during leaders’ questions, Taoiseach Enda Kenny was told the move was a “cover up” and that the Coalition’s five-point plan has become little more than a “five-point sham”.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin set the tone by telling his political rival “the truth simply does not matter to you”, and that “you will say anything to get elected, you will deny reality and the truth when it stares you in the face”.