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The government must extend the payment scheme for healthcare workers suffering from long Covid before it lapses on New Years Eve, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who chairs the Oireachtas Health Committee, said: “The special leave with pay scheme for healthcare workers with long COVID is going to end in […]

Appropriate healthcare services in the Mid-West cannot continue to be treated as an afterthought by government, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “Option C – the development of a Model 3 hospital with an emergency department in the Mid-West region – cannot be put on the long finger. “Another ED […]

The announcement that the National Gender Service’s waiting list is to close will leave the trans community with even fewer avenues for care, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice TD. Deputy Rice said: “The trans community continues to be utterly failed by the State – the National Gender Service is not fit for […]

Out-of-hours health services in the South East and North West are in grave danger of standstill due to strike action if the Minister for Health does not intervene quickly, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “Staff at Caredoc, a Section 39 healthcare provider operating in Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Wexford, […]

The Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025, which was published today, falls short of addressing the issues facing the home care sector, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “I welcome today’s announcement on home care regulation after years of false starts. Regulation of home care has been a Programme for […]

Changes to phased dispensing under the new Community Pharmacy Agreement is effectively a cost-cutting measure that will compromise patient safety, according to Social Democrats Health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “The Minister claims that the introduction of ‘improved controls’ around phased dispensing is being done in a way that puts patient safety first. However, […]

While the NDP Sectoral Plan for Health includes much-needed projects to improve our health service, crucial details are missing in terms of their delivery, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “Following the publication of an underwhelming NDP last July, this Sectoral Plan for Health is long overdue. Much of our […]

The government must fund a clear and viable solution to reducing long waiting lists for patients in need of groundbreaking surgery for Parkinson’s Disease, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said: “Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a life-changing intervention that can dramatically improve the quality of […]

A scoping inquiry into Michael Shine, the former surgeon convicted of multiple counts of child sexual abuse, is welcome but must lead to a full statutory inquiry, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “I welcome the news that the cabinet is set to approve a scoping inquiry into Michael Shine […]

The government must undertake significant preparatory work to ensure that accurate data on gender and sexual orientation is collated after the next census, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s spokesperson on health, said: “It is welcome news that Census 2027 will include questions on sexual orientation and gender. […]