A chara, – The attitude of this Government to those struggling in our society is summed up in one item from Budget 2014: the abolition of the €850 bereavement grant. Can a government be more out of touch with those struggling by even considering such a mean, nasty cut? Shame on Fine Gael. Shame on Labour. When will people wake up? – Is mise,
EF FANNING,
Whitehall Road,
Churchtown, Dublin 14.
Sir, – In November 2011 the current Government announced that the 56,000 people registered as having a long-term illness would be granted free GP care. This was to be the first step on the road to universal healthcare and we’re still waiting for that one. – Yours, etc,
Dr PAUL BYRNE,
Temple Square,
Dartry, Dublin 6.
Sir, – The Government is effectively ageist. While technically legal, the reduction of the level of unemployment benefits for those under the age of 25 is discriminatory. How are the young any less deserving of social welfare than anyone else?
Furthermore, this reduction is seen as pushing the youth towards training, internships or any employment, no matter how badly paid. If these really were enticing, young people would have to be reduced below the poverty line before taking these options.
Since the Government took office, not only is youth unemployment decreasing, but so too is youth employment. Young people are leaving the country, at a rate or around 40,000 a year, around half of whom return. Clearly, few wish to pay for the mistakes of the previous generation. – Yours, etc,
TOM BOLAND,
Lecturer in Sociology,
Waterford Institute of
Technology,
Waterford.
Sir, – The €150,000,000 that the Government hopes to raise from the new levy on banks is yet another tax on us, as it will be the customers of the banks who will ultimately pay it. – Yours, etc,
JOE HARVEY,
Glenageary Woods,
Glenageary, Co Dublin.
Sir, – On taking office, Dr James Reilly promised free GP care for those with long-term illness. This has not yet happened – it requires legislation. So the promise of free GP care for under-fives is just that – another promise! – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL JOY,
Westbrook Court,
Midleton, Co Cork.
Sir, – There has been much unfounded criticism of the proposed scheme to provide free GP care to all children under the age of five. This has included an objection to “paying for GP care for those who can afford to pay themselves”. Making a benefit universal has some obvious effects. The service is easier to access for all, poorer parents are no longer deterred by very substantial fees from using GPs, and it is more obviously equitable.
A further point in favour of it is that making a benefit universal ensures all sectors of society use it, and prevents the development of a two-tier service, such as has arisen in the hospital sector. It helps ensure wide political support for the benefit, and gives the powerful and influential voting classes a motive to ensure the service stays up to scratch. One good Irish example of this effect is the primary school sector. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY STAINES,,
Prof of Health Systems,
School of Nursing & Human
Sciences,
Dublin City University,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – While the introduction of free GP care for the under-fives is welcome, the Government could have made a considerable step towards better health for all citizens by introducing an annual universal free health-check for all. It would have huge health benefits in the early discovery of preventable illnesses while saving the exchequer considerable money.
Health expenditure continues to consume 27 per cent of overall public expenditure – the Government has missed an opportunity in the Budget to improve the health and well-being of the nation which would de facto reduce health expenditure in the long run. – Yours, etc,
PAUL HORAN,
Assistant Professor,
School of Nursing &
Midwifery,
The University of Dublin,
Trinity College,
D’Olier Street,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – In general, lower paid public and civil servants pay a higher rate of PRSI than their higher paid counterparts. There are no benefits associated with paying the higher rate of PRSI.
There would be huge savings if the Minister for Finance decided that all public and civil servants, and all such retirees, paid the same, higher rate of this tax. – Yours, etc,
SEAMUS CULLEN,
Seacrest,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.
Sir, – The IMO has stated that the introduction of free GP care for children under five is a gimmick. I doubt that many hard-pressed parents of young children will agree. Sixty euro may not be significant for the average IMO member, but it is for those on the average wage. Perhaps there are some in the IMO who do not welcome the extra oversight, by the State, over the income of doctors, which this change will allow. – Yours, etc,
ALAN McPARTLAND,
Grange Court,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – The hypocrisy of this Government has been exposed in the latest move to raise the prescription charge to €2.50 per item for medical card patients.
Before taking office James Reilly castigated Mary Harney for introducing a 50c charge for each item on medical card prescriptions, pointing out that this would deter the most vulnerable patients from taking prescribed medications. This would in turn cause worse outcomes and increased medical costs .
He promised to scrap this unfair tax when taking office, but instead raised it to €1.50 and now proposes to raise it by a whopping 400 per cent to €2.50.
The Minister has publicly acknowledged this tax will prevent access to medications by the most needy in our society . I have seen at first hand in my own practice the effect of this tax, where many patients simply choose not to take essential medications .
In a cynical acceptance that this tax reduces the amount of medicine consumed, and with total disregard for the consequences, the Minister has chosen to increase this tax even further. This will prevent even more patients taking their medications, with consequent short- term savings, but will have a huge cost in terms of health and increased complexity of care down the line.
Once again the Government has made a mockery of their supposed commitment to primary care treatments, by actively cutting services and discouraging patients from accessing necessary medicines. – Yours, etc,
JAMES CASSIDY MPSI,
Siopa an Cheimiceora,
Gaoth Dobhair,
An Bun Beag.
Dún na nGall.
Sir, – Will the Testament of Michael be superseded by the Testament of Mary? – Yours, etc,
AIDAN RYAN,
Brownswood,
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.