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Previous contractual commitments given to newly qualified paramedics must be honoured, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, the party’s health spokesperson, made his comments after raising the issue in the Dáil today. He said: “For the first time, newly qualified paramedics will not be offered permanent contracts. Instead, this cohort of graduates […]

Social Democrats by-election candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich has accused the government of failing the people of Galway after Galway University Hospitals were found to have the highest hospital waiting lists in the country. Míde said: “Figures provided by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) show a staggering 7,978 people on waiting lists for Galway University […]

While it is welcome that a fresh planning application is to be submitted for a new critical care wing at the Rotunda Hospital, this and previous governments cannot evade blame for delays to the project, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said: “After years of obfuscation, […]

The government cannot continue to sit on the fence when it comes to reforming and expanding GP care in Ireland, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice made his comments after today’s Dáil debate on a Social Democrats’ motion aimed at solving the GP crisis. He said: “While the government did not […]

Extortionate GP fees for menopause specific appointments are acting as a barrier to women seeking access to the government’s free HRT scheme, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “In Ireland, 51 per cent of the population will go through menopause during their lives. While some women can get by without treatment, […]

The Dáil will debate a Social Democrats’ motion on Wednesday (February 25) aimed at addressing the crisis in GP care in Ireland. The party’s 20-point plan sets out a number of key measures to improve access, remove costs and increase capacity when it comes to general practitioner care in Ireland. These include: Introducing free GP […]

It is an abdication of duty for the government to ignore glaring holes in dental care legislation which put the public in danger, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “Today’s news that the Dental Council, the statutory regulatory body for dentistry in Ireland, was unable to act in 80% of […]

The government’s decision to scrap plans for an elective-only hospital in Galway must be reversed, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “In 2021, the government committed to building elective-only hospitals in Galway, Cork and Dublin to support the separation of scheduled and unscheduled care. These facilities are needed to ensure […]

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has called on the Taoiseach to urgently clarify if it is still official government policy to co-locate the Rotunda with Connolly Hospital, as envisaged in the 2016 National Maternity Strategy. Deputy Cairns said: “A €100 million critical care unit at the Rotunda Hospital was supposed to be a gamechanger for […]

The Minister for Health must explain why she did not intervene sooner and publicly state that plans to locate the Rotunda Hospital with Connolly in Blanchardstown had effectively been abandoned by the government, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, made his comments after An Comisiún Pleanála […]