GPs should have a policy input

The Health Minister James Reilly has reportedly warned GPs that government — not doctors — sets policy. This statement was followed up with the Cabinet approval of free GP care for the under-6s.

This opinion would be at odds with World Health Organisation policy, which promotes front-line clinician involvement in local and national health policy development.

The architects and town planners were mostly ignored during the building boom, leaving a legacy of missed opportunities that will blight our environment for generations. Our economists’ opinions were similarly dismissed, with devastating effects on the State’s finances.