Press Release: Looney Slams Local Dental Cutbacks

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Councillor for Tallaght Central, has criticised a circular sent by the HSE to local dentists which withdraws “all but emergency treatment” for those on the medical card. The cut in services, which has been described by the Irish Dental Association as “unsafe, unworkable and unethical,” comes in the wake of other health scandals, both local and national.

“Here in Tallaght, we have had a disastrous few months in local healthcare, including the x-ray debacle and Far East letter outsourcing at Tallaght Hospital, revelations as to the lack of GP cover for areas such as Fettercairn and the ongoing absence of cover in the primary care centre beside Tallaght Library,” said Cllr Looney. “Nationally, Mary Harney and the unaccountable HSE continue to preside over a failing health service, continuing to impose a moratorium on recruitment and expend time and effort on an ideological model of healthcare in which the rich will always get the best treatment.”

“Now, the crisis in our finances caused by the toxic triangle of Fianna Fáil, the banks and developers yet again targets working people, the unemployed, the elderly and the vulnerable. Thousands of local people whose circumstances mean they require a medical card will now be denied a range of routine treatments, including fillings, extractions and dentures, as well as treatment for gum disease,” noted Cllr Looney.

“As a result of this circular, preventative work such as scaling and filling will be abandoned, which means that serious dental problems, rather than being tackled, will simply be stored up for the future. What are these same patients to do if they need dentures at some stage in the future?”

“The Irish people gave their verdict on the PD vision for healthcare by getting rid of the party at the last general election. The people of Tallaght Central gave their verdict on the FF apologists at the last local election by voting for Labour in unprecedented numbers. This latest attack on working people, the elderly and the vulnerable, show that even after the death of the PD’s, this Fianna Fáil government continue to promote a two-tier healthcare system, where the best care is for the rich, and the rest are left to suffer,” concluded Cllr Looney.

5 Ways to Save

From a press release by Róisín Shortall, 5 proposals by the Labour Party to save the State money. Before we hit the most vulnerable again, let's hit those who benefit most the hardest.

1. Director Pensions:
Director's pension schemes are still a major loophole. A director can build up a fund of up to €5.4 million and take 25% of it in a tax-free lump sum. (Again, the Government has been unable to provide information on the amount that would be saved).

2. Landlords:
Interest relief on rental properties is costing €800m and should be cut.

3. Tax exiles:
An Irish passport should mean something. If you want to be part of Irish society and benefit from it you should pay like anyone else (The Government has been unable to provide information on the amount that would be saved, but we estimate the figure to be at least €175m)

4. Cap pension relief at €100,000:
Tax relief on pension contributions is capped at €150,000. Lowering this cap to €100,000 would yield €186 million

5. "Co-location":
Abandon the super-private clinics and save €1 billion over seven years, or €140m per year.

Medical Card Crisis for Pensioners

It is nothing short of a national disgrace that the Government is hitting our old age pensioners to cut their budget losses with the abolition of the automatic entitlement of over 70s to medical cards.

For a long time the government’s right wing agenda has meant we have had a two-tier health service. But this decision will effectively give our pensioners a four-tier health system. Some will have medical cards, others will have GP cards, some will receive their €400 in cash, while others will have nothing at all.

There is genuine fear, anger and utter confusion among retired people over the treatment meted out to them by Fianna Fáil in this week’s budget. The removal of the medical card from over-70s will have a serious impact not just on people’s finances, but on their health.

While considerable attention has been drawn to the adverse financial implications that the government’s removal of the medical card will have, the implications for the state of their health are as bad if not worse.

We know for example that the medical consultation rate for people who became eligible for these cards jumped by 73%. This removal of the requirement to pay has meant more people going to the doctor for a check-up, a flu vaccine or for a routine visit and as a result, illnesses that can be identified at an early stage are being caught. This means that people are being treated before their condition becomes chronic, when they would invariably end up as a patient in hospital.

We also know from census data that the percentage of people over 70 who had a disability dropped appreciably between 2002 and 2006. It’s not unreasonable to conclude that this is as a result of better access to primary care and improved management of existing health conditions.

GP services and prescriptions are not the only services that will be out of bounds for those losing their medical cards. This ill-thought-out plan means they will not be able to get access to flu vaccine, home help packages, incontinence wear, dressings, nor to community physiotherapy and occupational therapy services.

Simply put, this decision must be reversed immediately.

This stingy Government targeted old people, workers and young families instead of their own developer buddies and the super rich. They’ll bail out bankers and speculators but not elderly people who have worked and contributed to society for all their lives. Labour is committed to a different kind of politics and a different kind of economics – truly putting people before profit.

Notes: WITHDRAWAL OF MEDICAL CARD FOR OVER 70s PROTEST
ORGANISED BY THE SENIOR CITIZEN’S PARLIAMENT

DATE: Wednesday October 22nd

TIME: 12:30 to 1.30pm

VENUE: Outside Dail Eireann, Kildare Street

WITHDRAWAL OF MEDICAL CARD FOR OVER 70s PUBLIC MEETING
ORGANISED BY AGE ACTION IRELAND

DATE: Tuesday October 21st

TIME: 11:00am

VENUE: O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, Fenian Street, Off Merrion Square, Dublin 2 (beside the Eircom Building / Gingerman Pub)