Seanad debates

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

10:40 am

Photo of Marc MacSharryMarc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to join with my colleague, Senator Darragh O’Brien, in mentioning the revelations over the past 24 hours on health insurance. In anybody’s mind - following on from what Senator Colm Burke has said in recent weeks about the discourse on health being quite personalised against the Minister - it is simply impossible to ignore the calamity that appears to be our health services at the moment in terms of its funding. On the one hand, we are seeking to introduce, for the most wealthy in the country, free GP health care for those aged under five while on the other, we are screwing the coping classes to the wall by continually hitting them and expecting them to pony up more.

The cost for a family with two children for a year will be approximately an extra €328. Since 2009 the health levy has risen by 149% for an adult and 155% for a child. As Senator Darragh O'Brien said, we have had the CEOs of three major hospitals say they are beyond capacity and at breaking point. We have had €150 million in cuts to primary care, which has arguably contributed to the 10% rise in the number of people using accident and emergency departments. All of this comes against a backdrop in which the Minister is saying there will be free GP care for all by 2016 and then universal health care. It is worth noting that some academics are now saying universal health care is not the way to go. If people can afford to pay, I, for one, would like them to pay. I do not want multimillionaires to be subsidised by people who have nothing. I do not want multimillionaires to have free GP care for their children.

There is no wish to personalise this against the Minister. I do not doubt the man's commitment in wanting to do a better job, but the reality is that even a cursory look at the health service at the moment would give people the impression it is a complete headless chicken, a calamity and a major problem. Anybody who suggests otherwise is reminiscent of that Iraqi leader who said they were fully in control and winning the war when the tanks were outside the studio.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.