Greens abandon basic principle in disgraceful decision on cervical vaccine

WHAT was really infuriating about the Government’s decision not to provide the anti-cervical cancer vaccination for young girls — at a saving of a few million euro — was that it came after it was reported that ministers had bowed to construction industry lobbying regarding the costing of State-funded projects: this lost the taxpayer €150 million.

The pathetic argument that screening for cervical cancer was an acceptable stop-gap alternative to vaccination contradicts the well-established rule in medical and many other matters that prevention is far better than cure.

The position of the Government on this matter is disgraceful.

However, far worse is the position of the Green party in supporting the Government.

For if any party should have stood firm on the ground of prevention being better than cure, it should surely have been the Greens.

After all, isn’t this one of their basic principles? But it seems principles must give way to clinging on to a position in government. It seems that even the party itself must be sacrificed to this.

Support for the medical card and cervical cancer vaccination cuts will surely kill off the Green party at the next election — and rightly so.

Brian Abbott

Glencairn

Bishopstown Road

Cork