Taoiseach 'must take responsibility for Sláintecare oversight'

Labour and the Social Democrats have called on the Taoiseach to take oversight of Sláintecare into his department

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has previously said the Taoiseach's office did not have “the bandwidth” for such a programme. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography.

The Taoiseach has urged to bring the implementation of Sláintecare into his department after the health initiative was rocked by two high-profile resignations.

Two of the top officials behind Sláintecare, an initiative aimed at transforming Ireland’s health service, left the programme last week.

Laura Magahy, who was appointed as executive director in 2018, has resigned from her post.

Dr Tom Keane, chair of the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council, has also left after a three-year term he was appointed to in 2018, the Department of Health said.

Labour and the Social Democrats have now called on the Taoiseach to take oversight into the cross-party initiative into his department.

Micheál Martin has previously said the Taoiseach's office did not have “the bandwidth” for such a programme.

'Gravely concerned'

Social Democrats health spokesperson Róisín Shortall said every single member of the Oireachtas Health Committee was "gravely concerned about these developments".

"We have agreed to invite the minister and the secretary-general of the department to two meetings next week, to outline exactly why we believe these resignations took place, and more importantly for the minister to say exactly what he will do to remove those obstacles to the implementation of Sláintecare."

"I think it's very important that the Taoiseach gets involved," Ms Shortall added.

"This is not something that can just be farmed out in relation to one department. Having a properly functioning public health service is a critical objective for the country.

Social Democrats health spokesperson Róisín Shortall: 'We need to see the Taoiseach now, exerting his authority.' File picture: Damien Storan

"From an economic perspective, but more importantly from the point of view of the welfare of everyday living in this country, and that has to be driven on a cross-party on a cross-government basis.

"It's not just a matter for the Minister for Health, and obviously it involves expenditure as well as the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure, but also departments like Social Protection.

Ms Shortall said "It is very much across Government, and we need to see the Taoiseach now, exerting his authority, he needs a win, he's taken a backseat in relation to a lot of things, it's important now that he steps up and takes charge of this area.

I was very disappointed with his comments the other day about his department not having the bandwidth, but that was nonsense, this is a major reform project that has huge implications for the country and he needs to take charge."

Likewise, Labour's new spokesperson on health Duncan Smith said he was concerned over the resignations.

"What we're calling for is for the Taoiseach to take Sláintecare into his department, this was a recommendation of the committee itself," he said.

'Massive disconnect'

"What's clear is that there's a massive disconnect between what the Government has been saying about Sláintecare, and what's been happening behind the scenes.

"In their midterm report on the six-month progress for the implementation of Sláintecare, there are 112 deliverables, 85 according to the Government, were on track.

"There's another 24 that were progressing with some, some minor issues.

"There's only three out of that which they said that there were major issues, so they were presenting to us, to parliament, to the media and to the public, that's Sláintecare was progressing, the way it should be, when it was very clear to anyone that is involved in that it is not, and that is being allowed to die on the vine, by inaction from this Government.

"The Taoiseach has to take a lead on this, he needs to be honest with the people, if they don't believe in Sláintecare, they need to tell the people, they need to come up with an alternative."