Dúirt urlabhraí Thír Chonaill Mícheál Mac Giolla Easbuig nach bhfuil áit do chomhlachtaí príomháideacha i bhforáil an chórais shláinte in ospidéal Leifear nó in earnáil ar bith den chóras sláinte.
Bhí sé ag freagairt ráiteas ó Sheanadóir Fhianna Fáil Brian O' Domhnaill nuair a mhaígh sé go ndéanfadh an tAire Sláinte Mary Harney cíoradh ar fhorbairt ospidéil phobail nua i Leifear mar chuid de chomhpháirtíocht phríomháideach phoiblí.
Dúirt sé: "Tá na ciorraithe agus dúnadh atá á dhéanamh agus á phleanáil d'ospidéil ar nós Leifear, á thógáil ar bhunús buiséadach agus níl baint acu leis an chúram leighis a chuireann siad ar fáil nó le riachtanais shláinte an phobail."
"Ní amháin go bhfuil na ciorraithe seo éagórach, ach níl gá ar bith leo. Tá siad á fhorchuir trí chinntí polaitiúla réamhbheartaithe tógtha ag páirtí Sheanadóir O' Domhnaill, Fianna Fáil. Deireann siad nach bhfuil an t-airgeadas acu chun ár n-ospidéil agus ár gcóras sláinte a mhaoiniú i gceart, ach ag an am céanna níl leisce ar bith orthu teacht ar na billiúin euro chun dul i mbannaí ar a gcomhghuaillithe sna bainc."
"D'fhéadfadh an rialtas seo chomh maith, agus ba chóir dóibh, ár n-acmhainní nádúrtha a náisiúnú. Tá níos mó ná 500 billiún euro d'ola agus gás faoi ghrinneall na farraige ónár gcósta, na cearta tugtha d'ilnaisiúnach ollmhór cosúil le Shell. Níl aon bhac dleathach ag cur coisc orthu na hacmhainní seo a náisiúnú. Ní fhágfadh an saibhreas ollmhór leithscéal ar bith do dhúnadh Leifear agus ospidéil eile. Ní bheadh leithscéal ar bith acu ar dhúnadh leapaí, baint seirbhísí, ganntanas foirne agus anliosta de chiorrathe eile forchurtha ag an rialtas fuarchroíoch seo. Arís eile, an t-aon rud atá in easnamh ná toil pholaitiúil."
Chríochnaigh sé: "Caithfear ospidéal Leifir a choinneáil agus é a choinneáil i lámha poiblí amháin. Níl áit ann do chomhlachtaí príobháideacha nó do spreagthachtaí an bhrabúis i bhforáil an chórais shláinte, seirbhís phoiblí riachtanach. Caithfidh ár gcóras sláinte a bheith faoi smacht an phobail, a bheith saor agus cothrom go fíreannach, bunaithe ar riachtanas leighis amháin, ní ar acmhainneacht chun íoctha. Maoinigh ár n-ospidéil, ní na bainc."No place for private finance in Health Service
He was responding to comments from Fianna Fáil Senator Brian O’Domhnaill in which he claimed that Health Minister Mary Harney would consider the development of a new community hospital in Lifford as part of a Public Private Partnership.
He said: “The cutbacks and closures being carried out and planned for hospitals such as Lifford's are being taken on a budgetary basis and has nothing to do with the medical care they provide or the medical needs of the community.”
“These cuts are not only unjust, but they are completely unnecessary. They are being imposed by deliberate political decisions being taken by Senator O'Domhnaill's party, Fianna Fáil. They say they haven't the finance to properly fund our hospitals and health service, yet at the same time they have no hesitation in finding tens of billions of euros to bail out their cronies in the banks.”
He added: “Despite the economic recession, Ireland remains a wealthy country. The problem lies in that 1% of the population control 34% of the wealth. These people have escaped unsacathed while workers, pensioners, the unemployed, the ill and those with special needs have borne the brunt of the cutbacks. A hefty wealth tax imposed on these individuals would also bring in massive revenue making these cutbacks unnecessary. All that is lacking is political will.”
“The government could also, and should, nationalise our natural resources. More than 500 billion euros worth of oil and gas lies under the seabed off our coast, the rights to which they have given away to private multi-national giants like Shell. There is no legal impediment preventing them nationalising these resources. The vast wealth would leave no excuse for closing Lifford and other hospitals. They would have no excuse for bed closures, removing services, staff shortages and the litany of other cuts imposed by this uncaring administration. Once again, all that is lacking is political will.”
He concluded: “Lifford hospital needs to be retained and retained solely in public hands. There is no place for private companies or profit motives in the provision of health care, an essential public service. Our health care system must be completely under public control, must be truly free and equal, based solely on medical need, not ability to pay. Fund our hospitals, not the banks”.
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