Wed22052013
Last update05:54:53 PM GMT
On 2 September, Minister Mary Harney launched the first ever All Ireland Traveller Health Study. The minister herself acknowledged that there was 'no good news' in terms of Travellers' life expectancy.By Sara Burke.
Some of the key findings in the report are:
Mary Harney says prescription charges will raise money and "discourage the overuse of medication". By Sara Burke.
Ten years ago Mary Harney, then tánaiste and minister of trade, enterprise and employment made her political position clear.
"Geographically," she said, "we are closer to Berlin than Boston. Spiritually, we are probably a lot closer to Boston than Berlin." She firmly articulated the then government's chosen economic model which "had a clear tax-cutting agenda" and went on to say that "this model works".
We know now, 10 years on, that the policy of ravishing the tax base, of light regulation and of multiple, generous tax breaks to developers that fuelled the property bubble, doesn't work.
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Mary Harney is a politician without a party, a minister without a mandate. She has been in government for 13 years, the Minister for Health for nearly six years. Despite the demise of the PDs, their ideology prevails. The Minister does not understand that free market economics does not apply to running a health service. By Sara Burke.
Mary Harney has overseen the most 'radical' reform of the Irish health system since 1970 with the foundation of the HSE. Yet, despite endless restructuring, she has failed to really reform the Irish health system – to provide universal health care where access is based on need, not ability to pay. Universal health care is the norm in all other European countries. Not here. Uniquely in Ireland, one can skip the queue into public hospitals, if you can afford to pay privately or have private health insurance.
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Ireland has the highest recorded incidence of Hurler syndrome - a genetic disorder potentially fatal among children. Three quarters of Irish children diagnosed with the disorder are Travellers. A screening programme could save lives, yet no such programme is in place. Sandy Hazel investigates one of the risks of 'cousin marriage' in the first of three articles on Traveller health.
People with disabilities and their carers indict the government's lack of support for their needs during recent protests. By Sara Burke.
As people with disabilities and their families marched outside the Dail on July 7, those listening to the speeches inside heard reassurances from the Taoiseach and Ministers Harney and Maloney that no respite services for people with disabilities have been cut. If we are to believe our political leaders, why did thousands of people take to the streets on July 7 in Dublin, Galway and Castlebar?
Because services have been cut. These include:
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Fine Gael's plans for reforming the healthcare system seem well-intentioned, but are unrealistic. By Sara Burke.
James Reilly has been rewarded for his staunch defence of Enda Kenny in the Fine Gael heave by his ascension to Deputy Leader of the party and reappointment to the front bench in health. So what does Fine Gael’s James Reilly stand for and what would Fine Gael’s health policy mean to the Irish people?
It is not always that easy to tell what Reilly actually stands for, although it is much more obvious what he’s against - much of current health policy. He is very critical of the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney and her policies, and is often dogged in his criticisms of the HSE - the failures, the scandals, the misdiagnoses, long waits on trolleys and for outpatient appointments and the failure to invest in primary care.
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The political drive to use more generic and cheaper drugs will be good for the public purse. But imposing prescription charges on medical card holders is wrong. By Sara Burke.
At 6.30pm, on Friday 25 June, the Department of Health and Children issued a press release announcing the introduction of a new prescription charge for medical card holders. Henceforth, a charge of 50 cent will be imposed on each prescription item dispensed by a pharmacy to people on the medical card scheme. The prescription charge will be capped at €10 per family per month.
The introduction of such charges are conclusively shown to deter people from purchasing medicines. This is particularly true of those on low incomes, those with chronic diseases and older people.
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HSE and Dept of Health are ultimately responsible for unaccounted €2.35m. By Sara Burke.
So what has happened to the €2.35m of public money that was channelled through the HSE to the Siptu union?
HSE chief Brendan Drumm says he has no idea.
Siptu say they never received that money.
What was this fund for, how was it spent and why on earth did no state agency take responsibility for the annual €250,000 fund over eight years?
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The roles of HSE CEO and cancer chief have recently been filled by Cathal Magee and Susan O'Reilly, whose combined experience indicates interesting times ahead for the health service. By Sara Burke.
Two of the most senior health service posts have been filled in the last couple of weeks. Cathal Magee is the new HSE CEO, while Canadian Susan O’Reilly is the new cancer chief. So what's the word on the new HSE managers?
Magee is a married father of four from Cavan with a BA & MSc in management and a keen interest in sports, particularly GAA, soccer and rugby. He describes himself as a hard working business man but also a family man. He has had a long, successful, varied career, and he has earned enough money never to need to work again, but he appears to be taking on this role out of commitment to public service.
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