Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It sure is a long distance. For our part, Sinn Féin is committed to establishing a healthcare system that is free at the point of delivery and available when people need it. Despite the fact that we put more money per head of population into health services than any other European country, we still have a dysfunctional two-tier system. That is despite the best efforts of the front-line staff. Sinn Féin has a plan to move healthcare away from a system based on what is in one's bank balance or pocket towards a European national NHS-style system where all citizens are guaranteed a world-class service. We all know that this cannot be done overnight but we can make some simple changes to the current system that will make a major difference.

In our election manifesto in February, my party committed to two free GP visits per year for everyone who does not have a medical card and a full medical card entitlement for those who have cancer. We know that is not enough but these measures can be done in steps, and that is what we propose, as well as free GP care to all citizens over a five-year term.

In line with Sinn Féin proposals to move towards a one-tier system in healthcare, we welcome the steps taken in the legislation the Government has brought forward to provide GP care to all children under the age of 12 and to increase the income limits for those over the age of 70. Like the previous speaker, the only concern I would have is the timeframe for that. However, a major problem remains for all those who are working and do not qualify for a medical card. More than 1 million people in this State have no health cover whatsoever. They do not qualify for a medical card and they do not have private health insurance because, very simply, they cannot afford it. I want the Minister to address the case of a couple with two children under 16 years of age. They cannot get a medical card if their income is more than €342 a week. That is an incredibly low figure. A single person living alone loses the medical card if he or she has an income in excess of €184 per week, which is €19 less than what they would get on the dole. Even worse, those thresholds have not been raised since 2006. They need to be changed. I believe the Minister and I could agree on that. Low-paid workers should have medical card cover. The fact that a family of four on more than €342 per week does not have a statutory right to a medical card is a scandal, and we need to address it.

Parents with two children who are sick are choosing not to go to a GP because they cannot afford for both of them to go. I have come across that, as I am sure has the Minister. That is despite the fact that we spend €4,706 per head of population on healthcare, one third more than the average across the 35 OECD countries. That is according to the recent OECD figures. That €4,706 is far more than what many other European states that have a system that is free at the point of delivery spend. Of course, no system is free because people pay their taxes, including USC and PRSI, into it, but it is free at the point of delivery.

We have tolerated this for long enough. We have tolerated long waiting lists. We have tolerated a two-tier system. Now is the time to start putting those building blocks in place. We recognise that that has to be done in steps, but we want quick steps and long steps. We want to get there because it is the one mission on which every Member of this House says they are agreed. I have heard the Minister speak eloquently on it many times, and I hope he follows through on it now that he is in a powerful position.

We need to try to drive forward towards a national health system. We need greater North-South co-operation on health. Some excellent work has been done in that regard. People from the North get heart treatment in the South. People from the South get hip treatments in the North. We need to accelerate that because there are strengths and weaknesses in both systems. We need to strengthen those all-Ireland links, and Sinn Féin will not be found wanting in pushing for that. In the meantime, let us expand the entitlement to medical card cover. I welcome what is happening here in terms of the Bill, but let us address those families and workers I have mentioned. It is a scandal. The figures have not changed since 2006. Let us bring those low-paid workers and families into the medical card net. The thresholds have not changed in 14 years. We need to change it now. If the Minister could start doing that, it would be a great day's work.

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