Independent TDs may agree a pre-election manifesto on major issues, such as the health service, following the decision yesterday of nine of them to back a demand for additional health spending.
Eight Independents, along with the Socialist Party's sole TD, Joe Higgins, all signed a letter from Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley criticising the treatment offered to an elderly Mayo man who died almost two weeks ago while waiting for a transfer from Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar to University College Hospital, Galway.
The man, who was in his 70s, suffered from a chronic blood disease.
Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Dublin Central TD Tony Gregory said the health service required political will to solve its problems, rather than resources. "We have a surplus of billions, and the resources are there, but the political will is not," said Mr Gregory, who chairs a weekly meeting of Independent deputies in Leinster House.
Dublin North Central TD Finian McGrath said the possibility of creating an election alliance, though not a new party, has been discussed between the Independents for some months. "I am very enthusiastic about it, and so are many of my colleagues. Others are sitting back, waiting and seeing. They are worried that their independence might be questioned," he said.
"People keep talking that Sinn Féin or the Greens will be the power-brokers in the next Dáil, but they won't have the numbers. The Independents will," Mr McGrath said. "I would be confident that closer to the election we would be able to sign up to a list of demands on four, or five major issues, such as the health service and other things."
"The manifesto could then be put to either Fianna Fáil, or Fine Gael in post-election negotiations, he said, though other Independents cautioned that an alliance agreement is further down the line," Mr McGrath said.
Detailing the plight of his elderly constituent, Dr Cowley said the man had been in Castlebar hospital for 10 days while waiting for an appointment with a consultant in Galway. "When he was eight days waiting [ for a bed], I addressed the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, in the Dáil and I said: 'Why do we have a haematology service in the west if this man cannot access it?'
"I put it to the Tánaiste that this man might not survive if he was left for too long. On the 10th day this man died. He died waiting for the bed that never came," said Mr Cowley.
Mr Higgins said Independents would "intensify resistance to the two-tier health system that operates in this society". The letter was signed by Dr Cowley, Mr Gregory, Mr McGrath and Mr Higgins, along with Clare TD James Breen, Cavan/Monaghan's Paudge Connolly, Sligo/Leitrim's Marion Harkin, Tipperary South's Séamus Healy and Kildare North's Catherine Murphy.