Another Fine Gael fail in health

Issued : Sunday 17 June, 2018

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD, has criticised the Government’s failure to appoint an Executive Director to oversee the implantation of Sláintecare.

Deputy Kelly said:

“Almost 18 months after first talking about it, the Government has failed to appoint anyone to the position of Executive Director in the SlainteCare Implementation office.

“It is over 6 months since Minister Harris, in a blaze of self-congratulatory twitter activity, announced the process to appoint the Director has begun.

“The Slaintecare report is one of the positive results of the “new politics”. All parties came together to agree a plan for the future of our health services.

“The Government’s responsibility is to drive the plan forward. And recruitment of key staff is central to that. They have failed, and the results in terms of waiting lists and overcrowding is clear. 

“Similar inactivity has infected plans to recruit a New Garda Commissioner, a Secretary General in the Department of Justice and I worry in particular about the recruitment of a new Secretary General for the HSE.

“Let Leo Lead On we're told, but as with all this government's activities it is more slogan than action.

“Fine Gael's tenure in the Department of Health is one of substantial underachievement and lack of leadership. 

“We cannot allow it continue.”