Keep VHI away from the fat cats

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen’s recent unexpected statement that VHI is to be capitalised and brought to the market by 2013 is sad and worrying news.

Sad because VHI has provided a good service down the years and continues to improve, giving peace of mind to its 1.2 million members.

Worrying to think the Government could be so blind and indifferent as to go down the hazardous road of privatisation once more, having learned nothing from the debacles and consequences of previous semi-state sell-offs. With privatisation, the social and human aspects of healthcare soon give way to the wheeling and dealing by the purchasers, often huge international outfits or wealthy speculators whose only concern is profit.