'Snail's pace' - Tipperary TD Martin Browne criticises pace of universal healthcare rollout

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has criticised the government's pace in delivering universal access to healthcare. 

Speaking to the Dáil on Friday July 1, Browne labelled the current roll out of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill as “snail's pace.” 

The bill was introduced by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. 

Cashel based Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Browne said:  “While the abolition of hospital inpatient charges for all patients under the age of 16 years is welcome, the Minister could do much more to reduce the cost of healthcare for workers and families.”

“He could phase out hospital parking charges, especially for families who want to be near their children or other loved ones and have to cope with huge travel costs in travelling from County Tipperary to a hospital in Dublin each day. I could give the Minister several examples of families in that situation at present.”

“The Minister could also address the consistent loss of rural GPs in Tipperary by training more GPs and expanding primary care. Recently in Cashel we saw how difficult it is to replace the doctor at the minor injuries unit. The unit had to close for a time, and then it had to reduce from a five-day per week to a two-day per week basis for a time.”

“This is where the Minister and the Government are failing. There has been no progress on modelling, costing or planning the roll-out of universal GP care, which would make a real difference in people’s lives. These problems are of the Minister's making.”

Deputy Browne concluded: “Again, I welcome this Bill, but it goes nowhere near far enough.”