Liadh urges public to attend meeting on healthcare in the South East

Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada is encouraging people in Kilkenny and the surrounding area to attend a public meeting on the region’s health services this weekend.

The Ireland South MEP will be on the panel of the Investing in Public Health Services conference in The Ormonde Hotel in Kilkenny this Saturday (May 13) starting at 10.30am.

Chaired by Carlow/Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion the panel will also include Cork University Hospital Professor Louise Kenny, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure & Reform and workers rights David Cullinane TD, Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Lousie O’Reilly TD and Phil O’Shea of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

“Our health system is in crisis. Successive Governments have plunged our health system into chaos – patients, workers and the services have suffered as a result of bad political choices,” she said.

“The reality is that the government has bit by bit sought to carve the hospital system up into bite sized portions, easily palmed off onto the private sector and out of the government’s hands.

“This is in line with the neo-liberal ideology that not only dominates across Europe. If we are to tackle this scourge the we must join with other progressive political forces in Europe in challenging the neo-liberal agenda that seeks to commodify everything from water to medicine. If we wish to bring about the model of healthcare we need and deserve, we will need support from allies in Europe as we face down an ingrained policy of privatisation and vested interests such as private investors and religious orders.

“Ending the two tier health service and the postcode lottery for care has to be key and this cannot be done by privatisation through the back door, as the Government seem intent on pursuing.

“We must learn from the successes of others as well as from our own failings. We are familiar with the NHS, but we must look to other countries to assess their models, and understand their practices. The end result must be quality, free and accessible healthcare for all. We must explore all models of delivery and continue to learn and improve our policy.

“Sinn Féin has a plan for our health service which delivers for patients and which is costed, credible and ready to be implemented. We are listening to those who are working on the frontline and listening to those who rely on these services so I would urge you to come along to this meeting and have your say.”