Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share time with Deputy Crowe. I welcome the opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the committee members and to thank the Oireachtas Library and Research Service, the Trinity College team, the committee secretariat and all the witnesses, stakeholders and groups who gave evidence to the committee.

Of course, we must not forget the key driver in all of this, Deputy Róisín Shortall. It has been an amazing experience for a newly elected Deputy to be on such an intense committee. The Committee on the Future of Healthcare was unique. It was the first time we saw those of all political parties and of none coming together to set out a strategic plan and a vision so we can possibly have one of the best health services, and one which is not based on how much money anyone has in their pocket.

Several speakers mentioned accountability and responsibility. Deputy Shortall may have needed medical care at one stage as she was probably black and blue from listening to me mentioning accountability and responsibility, given it came up so many times. It is one of the things that has to be addressed within the whole system. It has always been one of my gripes and I want to put on record that it still is. Every time I hear an unnamed spokesperson for the HSE say that it cannot find someone who is responsible for something, it makes me certain that this area needs to be addressed.

With Sláintecare, we will have a single-tier health service which will be based on a person's need, not on the ability to pay. This is something Sinn Féin has been calling for a very long time. Like every plan, not everything in it is perfect but there are massive benefits. One of the important points is the removal of inpatient charges in public hospitals in the first year. Anything that improves out-of-pocket expenses for people is positive because these expenses are a fear. In the same way, it is due to fear that private health insurance is taken out by the majority of people who use it. I spoke to a gentleman in Midleton last week who, when we were discussing the overall health system, said he would pay €100 more a week if he was guaranteed a proper health service. That is a testament to the people out there. I admired the man for that - I wish I could afford €100 a week, but that is a different story. The dental treatment scheme, which provided a vital service but which was abolished a number of years ago, will be reinstated in the first year of the report. There are knock-on effects from that, for example, with regard to heart defects and so on. These are minor changes that make a huge difference to the system.

I could speak about many other reductions in charges. One Deputy said things could have been done better in regard to the reduction in prescription charges for medical card holders, but again it is a step in the right direction to reduce it from €2.50 to €1 by the third year. If we could get it all for free, we certainly would, but some things are not possible.

Another issue we touched on is the proposed expansion of primary care and the shift to community-based treatment, which is the bread and butter of the whole plan. I could talk about this for months but I am conscious I am sharing time with Deputy Crowe. Nonetheless, I want to touch on an issue which is very close to my heart. Strong proposals have been made in regard to mental health. Some €120 million would be required to finally deliver the promises in A Vision for Change and that would be accounted for over five years, and we can see the benefit of this.

This health care plan is nothing only benefit after benefit. I want to finish with a quote from Nye Bevan that is close to my heart. He said, "No society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means". I want everybody to take that on board. This is what it is all about. This is for our children and grandchildren. Each and every one of us, across the political sphere, can be extremely proud of this achievement.

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