Overhaul must bring real benefits

The Cabinet will tomorrow receive proposals jointly from the Ministers for Finance and Health, which are being billed as a major thrust to radically overhaul the health system.

Both ministers will be seeking government approval to fundamentally change the way the system is managed and controlled which would, if ratified, represent the biggest change in the health service since the early 70s.

The fact that the Minister for Finance is one of the architects of this move signals that the Government is ready to embrace the radical changes contained in the proposals, although politically there is resistance because the perceived power of local politicians on local health issues would largely be removed.