JIM YATES,
Sir, - There are myriads of promises for the health services in the election air. RTÉ television has broadcasted a review of the services and a debate on problems in health. Unfortunately, there has been little aired about solutions. The Government has a strategy which, if implementable and implemented, should go a long way to sorting out the problems, according to most commentators.
Unfortunately, there has been little contact with reality in all of the hype. Perhaps, it is worth mentioning some aspects of reality, even at this late stage.
The plans and giveaways can be seen for what they are if the following points are noted:
(1) There was a reduction of 21 per cent of all hospital beds in 1987.
(2) The bed and staff reductions of 1987 plunged the services into a state of chronic failure, worsening yearly for at least 14 years.
(3) The population has significantly increased since then, perhaps by as much as 15 per cent and probably over 20 per cent in the greater Dublin area.
(4) The elderly population, and their needs in health have overwhelmed a system geared for restricting services to a smaller, younger and less needy population of 15 years ago.
(5) There have been huge and extremely expensive advances in diagnosis and treatments, particularly in cancer and heart disease.The number of "survivors" of chronic diseases treated by these services have huge needs in service provision.
(6) The various health professions have refused to work under the prevailing conditions, and have left the health services in large numbers. Those that remain are now costing multiples of previous emoluments.
(7) The measures taken by governments are a "drop in the ocean" of overall need.
(8) Our main response to date has been the creation of several additional health boards, and most recently, a health boards executive, which plans to have about 11 new offices around the country. The multi-layered bureaucracy worsens in complexity every year.
(9) In 1996, there were 57,000 employees in the public health services. By 2003, next year, this figure is expected to be 93,000.
There will be approximately the same number of nurses and doctors as in 1996! Perhaps, a dose of reality could be allowed into the debate.
For instance, how does one plan a ten-year programme without knowing how many people there are? How can you fix matters with an empty till? The British are about to enter the old cycle of tax-and-spend to solve their similar problems.
While the debate gets carried away with unreality, it is worth at least mentioning that there are bed closures awaiting us all this summer, perhaps shortly after the election. This is reality. Those who expect major improvements have a long wait ahead.
Is the population willing to pay much more tax to fund the health services ? That is the real question in the debate.The rest is waffle. - Yours, etc.,
Dr GARRETT R FITZGERALD,
Maypark Lane,
Waterford.
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Sir, - It is easy to perceive the urgent priorities for political parties. They are enumerated as follows.
(1) Adequate provision for the homeless.
(2) Because of their care of the helpless, handicapped and elderly at home, carers are heavily out of pocket and at great health risk due to lack of holidays and enormous and unceasing stress. The Exchequer is thereby saved many millions of euro - by the non-hospitalisation of such dependants. Monies thus saved should be ploughed back in generous measure to such carers.
(3) Money so far designated for Campus Stadium Ireland must instead be diverted into the urgent provision of community chalets/cottages with an associated respite and terminal care unit in each district, with consequent savings to the Exchequer and relief for over pressed hospitals.
(4) Persons currently being investigated by various tribunals and those with overseas accounts found to be culpable must be made amenable to criminal justice and appropriate penalties, including prison sentences, imposed.
(5) Members of Dáil Éireann must redeem their own avarice, and give reassurance to the population by restraint in their salaries, expenses and pensions, and thus regain lost respect for politicians. - Yours, etc.,
Dr ROBERT K. DOYLE,
Newtown Road,
Wexford.
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Sir, - If you were suffering from depression, you wouldn't want to visit Dr Jim McDaid, would you? - Yours, etc.,
JIM YATES,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24.
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A chara, - Fianna Fáil has "A lot done, more to do". Is this a threat or a promise? If a threat, does Ruairí Quinn remain "optimistic for Ireland"? - Is mise,
DEIRDRE NÍ CHUANACHÁIN,
Cobh,
Co Cork.
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Sir, - As I have not yet received a visit from any canvassers and as I am "undecided", I promise faithfully to vote for the first candidate who calls in person to my home. I'm usually in by seven and I'll have the tea on. This offer does not apply to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Progressive Democrat or Labour candidates. - Yours, etc.,
LORCAN COLLINS,
Upper Fitzwilliam Street,
Dublin 2.
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Sir, - I cannot understand why any of the political parties would want their budget plans anywhere near an independent examiner. If any of we business people ran our companies the way they run the country, we would have been imprisoned years ago for fraudulent trading. Normally when I point this out to any of them, I get the patronising answer that running a country is different. However, answers to my next two questions "Different to what?" and "Why?" are never forthcoming as they are always suddenly in a hurry to knock on the next door. -Yours, etc.,
R.D.BANTON,
Tinahely,
Co Wicklow.
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Sir, - I note from your front page of today (May 2nd), a statement by Séamus Brennan of Fianna Fáíl to the effect: "You can't have a health service, and an education service, without a sound economy".
I also witnessed that statement on RTÉ news where he continued to the effect that, you can't have more gardaí, more hospital beds; "if you muck up the economy".
Could this be the same Séamus Brennan who as general secretary of Fianna Fáil in 1977 orchestrated the utterly irresponsible election campaign of that party; the man who cheerleaded the most appalling episode of election bribery? Which election led to 17 years of privation for hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable in Irish society. Which led directly not only to unacceptable waiting periods for medical treatment, but shortened the lives of many and crippled the Irish economy.
It must be another Séamus Brennan; otherwise Wednesday's performance could only be described as nauseating, unctuous hypocrisy. - Yours, etc.,
KEVIN HIGGINS,
Cornelscourt, Dublin 18.