The commercialisation and privatisation of health care will be stepped up enormously if Fine Gael continues in government says Fianna Fáil Health spokesperson, Billy Kelleher.
“Minister Varadkar made an appalling speech today in which he raised the spectre of autonomous hospital groups behaving like commercial semi-state companies. He also threatened to outsource underperforming hospitals to the private sector.
“It is an extraordinary agenda that even Mrs Thatcher would not have dared to advance. It is the type of policy you would expect from the Tea Party Freedom Caucus of the US Republican Party.
“It is a fundamental undermining of the public health system and it shows clearly what Fine Gael really has in store for the country if it is returned to power next year. Meanwhile, the Labour Party remains completely mute. Perhaps at some stage the Tánaiste will find a voice and let us know what she thinks of her Government’s plan to privatise health.
“In the meantime, we have all been warned.”