Long-term funding vital to success

THE Achilles heel of Health Minister Micheál Martin’s plan to reform the health system is the lack of any commitment to fund this ambitious programme to streamline a crisis-ridden and creaking service.

But there is no denying the minister deserves to be applauded for having the political courage to confront the enormous but necessary task of revamping a system characterised by never-ending hospital waiting lists, cutbacks, bed closures and vested interest power groups.

Reforming the service will involve abolishing the country’s health boards, reducing the powers of elected representatives, and setting up a centralised executive to replace the department and oversee the operation of four regional agencies plus 32 area offices.