Big business enters the Irish health ‘market’

DESPITE the opposition of its own planning inspector and well-founded opposition from local residents, medical consultants, councillors, opposition TDs and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin, Bord Pleanála has given the Beacon Medical Group (BMG) permission to build their colocated hospital in the grounds of Cork University Hospital.

No wonder people are cynical about the planning process. The interests of big business trump local interests and democracy again.

According to the John Hopkins Medicine International website, BMG is associated with the Texas-based Triad Hospitals Inc, the third largest private hospitals company in the world.