Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

This morning a consultant neurologist from St. James's Hospital, Dr. Colin Doherty, spoke on Pat Kenny's radio programme. While I do not believe that I ever met him, I was uplifted by his commitment to the public health system and his clinical analysis of the effect and consequences of this Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government's disastrous policies on the health service, namely, that the pushing of private hospitals and the thrust towards the privatisation of health care generally will inflict further wounds on an already wounded and over-stretched public health service.

There should be no need for private health insurance. We should have a public health service to which each citizen is entitled and that is adequate. The deliberate failure of the Government to provide an excellent public health service has frightened people so much that they are forced to seek private insurance. Community rating was a small concession to equality in that system of private insurance. However, even that is now under attack from the Barrington proposals, as is only logical because if one appoints a capitalist to report on an aspect of the health service, the result will reflect a capitalist ethos, which above all caters to the need for profit for big business interests.

This proposal is about increasing the profits of QUINN-direct and other big business elements considering what pickings they might make from the health service. It is a payback to the Government by QUINN-direct for rescuing it from a difficult situation following BUPA's pull-out. The most serious allegations have recently been made against the Government regarding motor insurance and the methods that it has applied. An investigation is under way in that regard, having been ordered by the Minister for Health and Children's party leader, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell.

An important aspect of health has once again been handed over to speculators and business interests, and the maximisation of their profits is crucial. Patients are being treated as if they were sacks of spuds, commodities to be traded on the market, rather than people to be cared for, whose health needs are provided for. This is a further disgusting proposal that compounds the Government's already flawed approach to the health service.

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