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health service is in a mess because of 30 years of neglect. Neither Fianna
Fail, the PDs or any of the other major political parties are going to
do anything to fundamentally solve the health crisis. Make them sick on
11 June - don't vote for them.
There
are only 20 beds in the state for children under 16 with psychiatric problems
and a one year waiting list in some areas for outpatients. Now these young
people may have to go abroad for treatment.
The crisis at Tralee General Hospital is so acute that a consultant has
claimed some cancer patients are going undiagnosed because of Government
under-funding.
From 1 July, Louth County Hospital won't have consultant surgeons on site
from 5pm or at weekends.
All across the country, it's the same - a litany of major problems afflict
our health service and it's all because of Government neglect and cutbacks.
Fianna Fail made a big play of their election promise to get rid of hospital
waiting lists within two years. Now the Director of the National Treatment
Purchase Fund (set up by Government to get rid of the waiting lists) has
said "There will always be waiting lists."
Officially there are nearly 30,000 people on hospital waiting lists. Nearly
500 of these are on a list for over two years awaiting surgery!
Fianna Fail and the PDs promised 13 billion euro for health that would
transform the service. This election promise like so many others has been
broken.
Now they're at it again. Michael Martin has just announced that the Government
are to miraclously find 400 million euro to open hospital facilities that
have been lying idle for years. These facilities had not been opened in
the last two years because of Government cuts.
Now with an election fast approaching - hey presto Charlie McCreevy has
stumbled across 400 million he didn't realise he had and the Government
attempts another con on the electorate.
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