Press Release: Campaigners call for large turnout for health march

The People Before Profit Alliance join others in supporting the Dublin Council of Trades Unions national day of protest for March 29 demanding a decent public health service and is urging people to join this protest.

Press Release:
Campaigners call for large turnout for health march

The People Before Profit Alliance supports the Dublin Council of Trades Unions national day of protest for March 29 demanding a decent public health service and is urging people to join this protest. The crisis in our health services goes from bad to worse and we need immediate action. The crisis stems from the low levels of spending which is less than 90% of the EU average. This is in the context of historic low levels of investment in the 1980s and 1990s. Current levels of spending do not make up for past neglect.

Speaking in the run up to the National Protest, Ailbhe Smyth, Co-convenor of People Before Profit Alliance said “You can access the health services if you have money. The two tier system is deeply inequitable. It is easier for those with money to get treated while public patients wait longer than private patients and some, like Susie Long, die waiting.”“The government wants to privatise more and more of our health care. Through the policy of co-location they want the private sector to build private hospitals for private patients in the grounds of public hospitals. These are not being built to meet the health needs of patients but to make profit for private investors. This policy is now supported by the Greens despite their opposition before the election. It’s time to say enough!”The People Before Profit Alliance is a broad-based alliance of activists committed to opposing neo-liberal policies which dismantle public services. We do not believe that the provision of basic services such as health and education should be the source of profits for investors.

Rory Hearne, People Before Profit Alliance, Dublin South East stated:
“We are urging people to attend the protest to provide a strong message to the government that says no more health cuts, no more privatisation, no more hospital closures: we demand a quality public health service that is available to all. In our area the Government is closing St Luke’s Cancer Hospital despite the fact that it is the best hospital for radiotherapy treatment in the country. Closing St Luke’s is part of the Government’s agenda of running down the public health system in order to provide new opportunities for the private for profit health care companies.”
People Before Profit demands a publicly funded health service that is free to all. We oppose the centralisation of the service under the control of the HSE with no democratic accountability. We also believe that everybody should have access to local services which emphasise primary care and prevention.

On the recent news regarding care for the elderly Brid Smith of People Before Profit Alliance, Ballyfermot said “Funds are being diverted from care for elderly. It’s a disgrace to propose to take 80% of pensioners income to provide for their care since all if not most of them would have more than paid their share by working and paying tax all their lives.”
The People Before Profit Alliance are joined by many others who are actively campaigning for a better health service and are mobilising people for the march.

Councillor Joan Collins for the Crumlin/Kimmage area and of the ‘Supporting Save Our Ladys Hospital Campaign’ said:
“The proposed closure of Our Lady’s hospital in Crumlin is an absolute disgrace. Yes there is a need for a hospital of specialist care but not at the expense of closing more hospitals and more beds to go in the Health. The community and thousands of people nationally are opposed to the hospital closure.”

Des Derwin, President of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, said
“It is marvellous that such a wide coalition of groups, including the People Before Profit Alliance, are working so hard to make the march a success. They are backing up the united effort of the trade unions, patients’ and hospital groups, health professionals and community organisations to present one clear voice that it is time for a fully funded Public Health Service, accessible to all, now.”

ENDS

Contact details:
Ailbhe Smyth 087 2055433
Joan Collins 086 3888151