Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

The private health insurance industry is in crisis. As Members are aware, almost 70,000 people have left the sector in the past 12 months, having been simply unable to afford the premia, which have been pushed up year after year by huge levels of inflation. The latter have been far in advance of the normal rates of inflation and far above health sector inflation. Young people simply are unable to afford the premia now and this is pushing up the payments and insurance premiums for the remaining people, who mainly are older people. It simply is unwise and unsustainable to hand over the public health service to competing health insurance companies. I believe this to be unacceptable and unsustainable. A public health service must be provided in which access is based on medical need alone, which is funded from general taxation and which is operated by a body that is transparent, publicly accountable and widely representative of all stakeholders, including patients and staff. Furthermore and importantly, it must be legally obliged to consult stakeholders prior to any decisions being made. This brings me to an appalling situation that arose in south County Tipperary last week, in which a decision was made to transfer a rehabilitation unit from St. Patrick's Hospital, Cashel, with absolutely no consultation with patients, their representatives, staff, medics or any stakeholders. Staff and stakeholders were treated with absolute contempt.

The HSE sent an official to announce this decision and gave no details about it whatsoever. This is deeply traumatic for patients and staff and is completely unacceptable. If the Minister would listen to me, he should instruct the HSE to consult stakeholders in future and immediately prior to making decisions, and introduce legislation that would give them an entitlement to be consulted prior to the making of any decisions. The conduct of the HSE in South Tipperary over the past week has been absolutely appalling. It shows absolute contempt for all stakeholders, including staff, and that must stop.

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