15/12/2015

Sinn Féin Launches 'Comprehensive' Universal Healthcare Plan

Sinn Féin has published a "comprehensive plan" to deliver universal healthcare, the party's Health Spokesperson, Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin, has announced.

Speaking at an event to launch the proposal, Deputy Ó Caoláin said: "Today we launch our plan for universal healthcare. We do so against a backdrop of multiple crises across our hospital network and in our health services generally.

"We do so having had today's reality in our health services spelt out in clear and unequivocable terms by the Director General of the Health Service Executive Tony O'Brien in an interview published at the weekend. The frustration, the exasperation of Tony O'Brien is clear in every sentence.

"The HSE, he told us, has been on 'death row' since the current government took up office in 2011. And the headline summed it all up – there is 'no plan', there is 'no money' and there is 'no vision for health' where this and previous governments have been concerned.

"Frontline staff in our health services see it no differently.

"While we welcome the avertion of today's planned two hour strike action by nurses in Emergency Departments across seven hospital sites, we know that nurses do not take strike action lightly.

"I again call on Minister Leo Varadkar to commit to a realistic recruitment and retention plan for nurses, not only in our Emergency Departments but across the health services generally."

(MH/CD)

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