Enda Kenny admits Government ‘failed’ on health pledge

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has admitted his Government has “failed” to deliver on a series of health promises in a clear Coalition climbdown on the key election issue.

The Fine Gael leader conceded his party has been unable to fix the system before today’s Irish Examiner revealed that the HSE director general warned the service is facing the worst year in a decade due to a lack of funds and the “public perception” austerity is over, issues the Department of Health deleted from the final plan.

Questioned on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about his inability to develop free GP care, universal health insurance, and an end to what Fine Gael in opposition labelled “the scandal of patients on trolleys”, Mr Kenny admitted “we didn’t fulfil our promise”.