Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is the most disingenuous nonsense I have ever seen in a budget.

On free GP care, it was finally extended to children under the age of eight this year and beyond to those under age 12, announced three or four years ago at this stage, and two or three Ministers ago. What the Government could do to actually improve access to our GP services is bring in a pharmacy-based minor ailments scheme. This is in the Labour Party’s alternative budget. That would allow more capacity within our existing GP services and within our accident and emergency services. Yet, again, it does not want to tackle the difficult negotiations it would take to deliver that.

The Government could invest €20 million in a national cancer strategy. That would have a long-term impact on our health service. It will not do that either. It could invest €20 million in new medicines. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, said they will not leave any children behind, but the Government is leaving the children who have rare illnesses behind when it do not invest in new medicines.

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