James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Is the Minister's interest in her survival or in the care of patients? She wants us to head down the route of the United States where 50 million people have no health insurance. According to Michael Moore's docudrama, Sicko, 18,000 people die there every year because they cannot access medical care. The Minister may not admit it but many on the Government benches recognise that if profit becomes the bottom line in private hospitals, patient care will take second place.

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