Sinn Féin unveils plans for equitable health service

Only people with wealth can buy health in Ireland’s unequal healthcare system, it was claimed today.

Sinn Féin, which today launched an All-Ireland healthcare policy document, is calling on the public to support a national day of action on the issue on May 13.

The party’s ’Healthcare in an Ireland of Equals’ blueprint wants universal access to health services, a new Health Funding Commission to study the costs of a 32-county system and the abolition of any privatisation of healthcare.

MEP Mary Lou McDonald said she had met elderly women who were afraid to go to hospital. She said universal healthcare would not be possible with the current Coalition in power.

Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader Caoimhghin O Caolain claimed the party’s bilingual 64-page policy document was the most progressive policy presented by any political party in Ireland.

He called on members of the public to take to the streets during Sinn Fein’s planned day of action to complain and campaign about their experiences of the health service.

“People campaigning to retain services in local hospitals are being told these services are not viable. But if you are a property speculator who wants to avoid tax by developing a private hospital you will get a massive tax break from the Fianna Fáil/PD government no matter where you locate your profit-driven facility.”

Health Minister Mary Harney insisted earlier that her health reform agenda, and the support of vested interests, was the only way to deliver the kind of world-class health service that Irish people deserve.

“The change is under way and I invite everybody to embrace that change and come on the journey of change with me,” she said.

Mr O Caolain claimed the money spent so far on tax breaks for private hospitals and on the troubled computer systems for the HSE could have funded an additional 1,000 public hospital beds.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said he believed that the party will be able to persuade vested interests on issues like public-only work for hospital consultants.

“This is a huge, huge change. It’s going to take time and take convincing. The weight of the sense behind this approach will, in time, win the support of everybody.

The Government was reinforcing the unequal and inefficient public-private health system in this state, he said.

“We reject that system where people with wealth are guaranteed access to the best private services while others must suffer on trolleys and on waiting lists,” he added.

“We are proposing root and branch reform, the establishment of an all-Ireland health service with access based on need and not on ability to pay or geographic location. We want access for all, free at the point of delivery in an equitable system funded by fair and progressive taxation.”

In the meantime, the party has called for the delivery of an extra 3,000 hospital beds and the roll-out of the promised primary care centres.

It also aims to stem the centralisation of hospital services and restore of services at local hospitals.

“We can see a better system where everybody will have access to healthcare on the basis of need and need alone. And we will put an end to a situation where people with wealth can buy health while everybody else suffers on trolleys or waiting queues for years.

“That unfortunately is the reality for so many of our families and community members throughout this state.”

Mr O’Caolain said that some areas of the party’s policy document could be worked on before a united Ireland is achieved.

MEP Mary Lou McDonald said that the current Government wasn’t capable of delivering the universal health system that her party envisaged.

She added: “We need the political will to deliver healthcare to people in an equal way. Around this city for example, I have met elderly people who are afraid to go to hospital.”

The party’s Dail candidate for Donegal North East, Cllr Padraig MacLochlainn claimed his constituents had no access to out-of-hours GP services or breast screening despite them being fully available across the Border.

“Cancer care patients in Co Donegal are told they don’t have the critical mass for the provision of local services. This is mad stuff,” he added.