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Morris welcomes publication of Sinn Féin health document

Sinn Féin’s Tipperary General Election candidate Cllr. Séamie Morris has welcomed the launch of his party’s plan for universal health care by saying that the policy could bring an end to the inequitable, two-tier system.

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Cllr. Morris said: “Today’s outline of a comprehensively researched and costed plan for universal health care in this state is to be welcomed. These proposals could radically change the delivery of health services by bringing an end to the inequitable two-tier system.”

The current system is the one where patients spend days lying on hospital trolleys. It sees others waiting for up to 18 months for elective surgery.”

Sinn Féin’s document shows a pathway to a more equitable system. There will be a larger fiscal space opening up over the next few years, which will enable an increase of €3.3 billion in health expenditure during the course of a five year term of office. A model of universal GP care and prescription medications is attainable when Sinn Féin are in Government.”

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There’s room for Sinn Féin to invest €15 million in the ambulance service by hiring 290 additional staff and funding more ambulances. In Government we would provide €238 million additional funding for acute hospitals and 3,800 more nursing home beds with a year on year increase of 10% in home help hours and home-care packages.”

This Government has embargoed, and cut, and driven medical staff out of the country, but failed to realise that it’s own addiction to privatisation is as serious an illness as any other. Our plan is for three million people to have free GP care and free prescriptions. Every seriously ill child should – and will – immediately receive a full medical card and there will be a secure medical card for people with disabilities.”

We are reminded by today’s narrowly averted strike that the healthcare system is in crisis. The INMO are to be applauded for their courage in taking their action.”

This Government could have worked to prevent the INMO from ever needing to go such lengths, but they chose not to before now. The review of emergency department staffing which has been conceded is long overdue. This Government hasn’t been able to deliver without help from the nurses and midwives. Which is ironic.”

Sinn Féin’s proposals are the opposite to what this Government has produced until now. These policies are about about delivering a world-class health care system to every citizen, based on need, free at the point of delivery, and funded through progressive taxation.”

I hope that the good people of Tipperary will send me to Dublin, to make sure that our county gets it’s fair allocation of resources, and to work to protect the interests and health of our county.”


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