Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask about a report that the Minister might have seen and on which the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, has provided answers to parliamentary questions. It relates to private clinics in the new national children's hospital. The proposal seems to be that, despite everything that we have gone through in recent months, there will still be private clinics operating out of the hospital. Is the Minister not concerned that this points to children's access to healthcare being rationed on the basis of their parents' income or wealth as opposed to the children's need?

Would the Minister not agree, in the context of the need to move forward rather than backwards towards a national health service, that all of the facilities in the national children's hospital should be used to provide healthcare for those who need it? In other words, it should be organised on the basis of need with proper quality healthcare for all of the children who need it regardless of the income or wealth of their parents.

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