MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly has said he is looking for Chinese financial investment in the Irish health service.
In a statement yesterday the Department of Health said one of the reasons for the Minister’s visit to China was “to explore funding possibilities for primary care and other developments”.
It is unclear whether Dr Reilly is talking about direct Chinese investment in private primary care centres or some form of a public-private partnership with the State.
The statement was issued by the Department of Health in response to speculation that the Minister could seek Chinese investment as part of the funding required for the new national children’s hospital.
Earlier this week Dr Reilly visited a 500-bed children’s hospital in China.
Fianna Fáil said Dr Reilly had serious questions to answer about the purpose and cost of his week-long visit to China.
The Minister was accompanied on the trip by his private secretary and his parliamentary assistant. The wife of the Minister’s parliamentary assistant also travelled with the party, but her costs are being met privately.
The department said the indicative costs of relevant flights was €7,072, while the cost for three hotel rooms was €392 per night and €700 for car and driver hire for the duration of the visit.
Speaking in Co Mayo last night, Taoiseach Enda Kenny criticised various instances of “mismanagement” in the health service, saying the culture had to change.
He asked: “Why, for instance, do we have a situation where on three occasions in the last number of weeks, medical records or evidence pertaining to medical records was found in plastic bags in bog holes?”