Larger dose of taxes likely option

No matter how much Minister for Health Micheál Martin may want to skirt around the question of future funding for the health service, the fact remains that either Government borrowing or else taxation measures are the only answer if the public is to get the service it wants.

Borrowing does not appear to be a realistic alternative, so increasing taxes is the option which the Government must consider if it wants to deliver on its promised long term health strategy.

Despite the unprecedented billions of euro poured into the health system in recent years, and Minister Martin deserves credit for that, it remains is still very far from representing value for money for the taxpayers.