Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan referred in her contribution to the type of Ireland we want the country to be. I would like to speak about the type of society which the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and the former Progressive Democrats Party wanted us to have. To be fair, they were successful. The society they wanted to build, as partners in Government for the past 12 years, was one where inequality was a necessary part. The Government has done well in making us one of the most unequal societies. While we are not the most unequal society, we are up there in terms of inequality throughout the world.

This philosophy was set out by the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Michael McDowell, in 2004 whose robust defence of the gap between rich and poor in Ireland was quoted in The Economist . He said then that it was an inevitable part of a society of incentives that Ireland had become. This was in the wake of a UN report which suggested at that time that the Republic of Ireland had become more unequal during its Celtic tiger years. Credit is due to the former Progressive Democrats and the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, who took on that philosophy in their policies on income tax, privatisation of public services, free marketeerism, the promotion of land speculation and gambling by bankers, the serving of the interests of a few in terms of their economic policies and public private partnerships which are grossly favourable to the private sector. The Government has done well in creating a more unequal society.

When it comes to health, this is very much the type of approach the Minister took in her policies on the co-location of private hospitals. The Health Service Executive, HSE, spent approximately €1.5 billion over six years on private nursing homes in terms of capital reliefs to private nursing home developers and payment for beds in the private sector and so on. At the same time, the number of public beds in the system was systematically reduced.

I was interested to read the statement of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland in regard to the Minister's latest announcement which included a warning that the new funding scheme outlined by the Minister for Health and Children is so dependent on builders and bankers that it may never go ahead. This new announcement is part of the same old philosophy. I wonder what developers will get out of this. I am concerned that they will be allowed to call the shots. If it is the case that the State will not pay the developers until the unit has been completed, does this mean developers will be able to charge more for the facility? This has been the type of approach by Government for the past couple of years, namely, outsourcing to the private sector developments which end up costing the State much more. Many Members have referred to this announcement as creative, innovative and pioneering. All the Minister has done is re-announce a project, which will now commence later.

On inequality, societies that are more equal are better for everybody in terms of health outcomes. We should be aiming to be a more equal society. We do badly in terms of health outcomes. This is why when push comes to shove a unit like this is dispensable. So many other areas of health, where the most vulnerable will be hit, will be dispensable for this Government, if its record is anything to go by. The type of Ireland we want is one which prioritises projects such as this unit, builds public facilities, provides universal health care and protects the most vulnerable unlike the budget health levy which favours the rich. We must make the most wealthy pay their share towards the building of a proper public health system.

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