A chara, - Michael McDowell (April 6th) advocates "the use of public funds to bring about a good, part private/part public GP service". He is seemingly oblivious to the fact that the "private" aspect of the Irish health care system is not very private at all.
Through tax relief on private medical insurance (PMI), the Irish State chooses to forgo a considerable amount of revenue that could be spent, among other things, on making GP care free for more people. The revenue lost through tax relief on PMI benefits for the most part the relatively well-off section of the population.
Surely Mr McDowell, as a "fair-minded person", should be calling for abolition of or reduction in the amount of public funds that are forgone in order to sponsor the "private" services of those who need such sponsorship least. - Is mise,
Dr VIRPI TIMONEN,
Milltown,
Dublin 6.