Government Health  a shambles-Crowe

Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe has said that the longer waiting lists, the deepening  financial and political crisis in Health combined with a dysfunctional relationship between Minister of State for Health Róisín Shortall and Minister for Health Dr. James Reilly  highlights  the  rudderless shambles that increased numbers of sick people have to deal with on a daily basis.

Junior Minister  Shortall refused to verbally back the Minister of Health during a no confidence motion in the Dáil this week.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“It is clear for everyone to see that a working relationship between Ministers Reilly and Shortall has broken down and become a  rudderless shambles that increased numbers of sick people have to deal with on a daily basis.

“Minister Shortall refused to publically back Minister Reilly in the Dáil, and now it has emerged that the Reilly didn’t  exactly use a transparent and objective criteria when choosing the location of the 35 primary health centres to be established around the country,particularly the 2 add ons  for his own constinuency.  It has also emerged that Reilly signed off the decision rather than Minister of State for Primary Care  Shortall.

“The establishment of Primary Health Care Centres is the future of the health service and these centres must be located in the areas were the communities needs are the highest. Fettercairn in my own constituency is currntly without a Doctor based in an area, that covers about 7500 people.

“ The break down in the Reilly-Shortall relationships is contributing to delay the building of these Care Centres which were promised years by successive governments. This break down in the effective running of the Health service at a political level , is ensuring that this Government is failing even at  the most basic level in delivering a health service fit for the 21st Century.

“The Labour and Fine Gael TDs  had a chance to end this mess on Wednesday with the vote of no confidence in Minister Reilly. Meanwhile while Ministers differ patients and their families are suffering the fallout from their fractious relationship.