1 May 2008 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Harney promotes health profiteers as public system crumbles

DUBLIN Sinn Féin members protested at the participation of Health Minister Mary Harney in a private health conference in Dublin on Thursday, 24 April designed to further the privatisation of Irish health services.
Speaking at the protest, Councillor Dessie Ellis said:
“Mary Harney is officially opening and participating in a Private Health Conference designed to further the privatisation of the Irish health services. It is an obscenity. This is an exclusive event with participants paying over €500 each to register. Tickets for the gala dinner cost €250 plus VAT and exhibitors are paying €3000 for a stand at the conference.
“While Minister Harney promotes private health profiteers our public health system is crumbling. In nearby Beaumont Hospital people are lying on trolleys in A&E. There are not enough isolation units and single rooms for patients suffering from the highly infectious MRSA bug. The long-promised psychiatric unit has been deferred again because the site has been given over to one of Minister Harney’s precious ‘co-located’ private for-profit hospitals. And HSE cutbacks are affecting patient care across Dublin and across the country.”

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland