Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin will be supporting this Bill. There should be no restrictions or deterrents for people accessing healthcare. Sinn Féin has long campaigned for the abolition of inpatient charges so it is very welcome to see that this is finally happening. The €80 charge a day has been a barrier for people presenting to hospitals. There are so many individuals and families who simply do not have the means particularly during its current cost-of-living crisis.

One issue which I wish to bring up which I have raised with the Minister in the past is the one of private debt collectors used by the HSE to chase down debts. I said that this is an abhorrent, draconian and an inhumane practice. The HSE has paid over €500,000 per year to private debt collection companies to go after people who are simply not in a position to pay their fees and I hope this is the end of this practice.

When I raised this issue in the Dáil on the previous occasion, the Taoiseach, who was the Tánaiste at the time, responded to me by saying that “People have a social obligation to pay their bills and taxes and settle their debts ... [and] have a moral obligation to do the right thing.” This was in the midst of the pandemic when many people had their employment curtailed. I ask now where was his moral obligation in this response considering that the group of people we were speaking about were those who were sick, who needed inpatient care and were not able to pay. Given the Government’s response ten minutes ago to the lifting of the eviction ban and to putting thousands of people at the risk of becoming homeless, I cannot say that I am surprised. This is just another example of how out of touch this Government is.

We need a health service that is open to all but more needs to be done to tackle the waiting lists. Some 75% of people who present to emergency departments are not admitted and in some cases they may not have access to GPs, so there is no other appropriate alternative for them. The Government must prioritise the move towards free GP care and the expansion of GP numbers so that services in our hospitals can flow more freely. People need access to appropriate health care when they need it and when in need.

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