Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)

I acknowledge the staff in our health services. Every one of them should be proud of the excellent service they provide despite the challenges they face every day in our hospitals, healthcare centres and community programmes. The health service is challenged by growing waiting lists, longer waiting times, an undersupply of key workers and low morale. Almost every part of the health service is attempting to muddle through in the absence of an overarching strategic plan. This Bill is a great opportunity to change all that but it fails to provide for multi-annual frameworks. Sinn Féin would implement multi-annual funding frameworks to provide funding certainty and improve accountability. This would enable more effective public service delivery once the health regions have assessed their population-based care and capacity needs.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the current healthcare system, which I am dealing with at the moment, is the volume of cancelled appointments. A constituent of mine last week spent his sixth week in hospital with major heart problems. He was discharged with the promise of an early emergency appointment for heart surgery. He cancelled his family holidays. So far, his preoperative appointments have been cancelled twice.

We also have so many scandals in the health service, including in respect of endometriosis and the Government's disgraceful amendment to the Sinn Féin motion last night, hip dysplasia surgeries and vaginal mesh implants. Children are waiting for years for assessments. There were also scandals in respect of surgical cancer and nursing homes. Those are just some examples. The list is endless. Those scandals are all happening while we wait for the opening of the €2.24 billion national children's hospital. This is no way to run a healthcare system. It is not good enough.

Sinn Féin has a plan to deliver a truly all-island national health service for Ireland, fitted to the Irish context and learning from the best across Europe. We would introduce a healthcare for all Act to set out a phased expansion of entitlements to commit the State to full public health cover by 2035.

Tackling the causes and consequences of addiction is central to developing a comprehensive healthcare system. Addiction needs to be seen as a public health issue and not a criminal issue. The Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use supported a comprehensive health-led response to drug use and addiction. This would ensure that the State responds to drug use as a health issue and not a criminal issue. A comprehensive health-led response diverts people towards health services and away from the criminal system. The health-led response would greatly reduce or eliminate the prospect of people being charged and convicted. Funding for local and regional drug and alcohol task forces must return to pre-recession levels to ensure that sustained and appropriate funding increases every year to continue service development.

I welcome the commitment to open a primary healthcare centre in Swords. I have campaigned for it for years so I am delighted it is now going to happen. It is long overdue. It is important that we have a publicly run healthcare centre for Dublin Fingal East, providing a full range of health services to Swords and all of the surrounding communities. I know the staff are currently moving into the premises, which is great news. It is now essential that the Department of Health delivers the project on time. I will be working tirelessly and contacting the Minister regularly to ensure the health centre is fit for purpose, fitted out and open on the target date in 2026.

This Bill is an opportunity to provide a fit-for-purpose health service for all. I hope the Government will use that opportunity to deliver for the people.

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