Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Harty on introducing this Bill which the Green Party is supporting. The primary reason for that is because we do want to see the implementation of Sláintecare and we see this Bill as a step towards achieving that objective. I am following UK politics at present and it seems that one of the few things that can be agreed upon over there is the huge achievement of introducing the National Health Service. I see the full implementation of Sláintecare as providing a similar radical step change in the way the health system and society works.

I read the Minister's speech and he argues that Sláintecare is being implemented and it takes time, which I accept, but our assessment is that we are not seeing the step change on a scale and form that we agreed unanimously in this House under the committee chaired by Deputy Shortall and involving others. We need something to unlock that. I understand the Government's concerns about ending up with a system that is completely managed by the courts but, to be honest, that fear is exaggerated. The courts themselves recognise that there is still an executive function in terms of managing the allocation of resources. The courts cannot decide to the nth degree on how a particular budget is allocated, but it would allow patients to seek recourse under the Constitution in cases where the system was not delivering. It would move from being a system that is run by the healthcare professionals themselves, not first and foremost in the interests of providing healthcare for all.

I agree with what Deputy Pringle and other speakers have said. Our dual system is not working where a large percentage of people have private insurance that would be unnecessary if we were to manage to make the leap and achieve a universal healthcare system. We support the Bill which will send a clear signal that we as a people are going to change the way our health system works through the implementation of Sláintecare.

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