Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government announced an extra €37 million for GP visit cards. It is giving with one hand while taking back on the treble with the other by withdrawing €148 million from medical card provision which includes the over-70s and under-70s. This will also result in substantial numbers of people being left without access to basic health care. There was great fanfare when it was announced that money was provided for this scheme. However, the money was provided this year for the first phase of the free GP care programme. In the budget last December it was announced that €30 million would be provided to allow for the first phase of the programme. Where has that €30 million gone? Why was it not used to open access to free GP care for a group of people, as promised in the programme for Government? It was ring-fenced, but it has not been spent. Where is it and what has happened to it?

Many of the figures we are getting from the Department of Health are funny. Up until last Sunday, it could not produce figures for the spend this year, let alone the budget for next year. These figures will not stand the test of time. We will, again, find ourselves in the middle of the year with a major hole in the health budget. There are two and a half months before the end of the year. This allows for European scrutiny. I would find it hard to imagine the troika could approve these figures because they are so dodgy.

The other despicable act was the dishonest way the budget was presented. None of the carryover measures was included in it. For example, the other half of the property tax has not been included. Not only has there been a hike in DIRT where people will be expected to pay 41%, PRSI will also be applied to it. Anyone putting money away in savings to provide for the future will be paying tax on almost half of the interest earned. How on earth could that be fair?

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