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THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS committed to Slaintecare, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has said.
Questions have been asked about the future of the beleaguered initiative aimed at introducing universal healthcare in Ireland after it was hit with a third high-profile resignation.
Gastroenterologist Professor Anthony O’Connor confirmed he had left the Slaintecare Implementation Advisory Council (SIAC) on Thursday, following in the footsteps of chairman Dr Tom Keane and executive director Laura Magahy.
In a post on Twitter, Prof O’Connor said he would not be commenting publicly on the reasons for his departure.
His resignation came a day after he, along with other members of SIAC, attended a meeting with HSE chief executive Paul Reid and secretary general at the department of health Robert Watt.
It is understood that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is planning to create a new Slaintecare group that will advise the Department of Health on regional health areas.
The project’s implementation advisory council is expected to be discontinued in the coming weeks.
Minister McConalogue said today that the Government is fully behind the Slaintecare project.
“The Government is absolutely committed to Slaintecare and implementing universal healthcare,” he told RTE radio.
“Slaintecare is the roadmap for that.”
The Donegal TD added: “I know Minister Donnelly also will have further announcements post-Budget in how we move that forward and achieve that ambition, and obviously the objective of achieving universal single tier of health and social care system is central to that.”
Earlier, Liam Doran, a member of the Slaintecare Implementation Advisory Council, said he was disappointed by Donnelly’s decision.
“The council had asked for an extension of its term of office of for three months, in light of recent difficulties,” he said.
Asked for his reaction during an interview on RTE radio, he said he was “not surprised, but disappointed”.
He said he had not been asked to join any new Slaintecare body, but would always be happy to play a role in the project.
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Etzellent news.
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Would love a job from them
Me too!
As would I! I spend enough money on it…
Meant to post the above comment on our Cufflinks profile !
We use ETSY for our Cufflinks & the majority of sales come from the US on ETSY. Its is a very popular with shoppers in the states & seems to be growing at a good rate. For small shop owners in Ireland who cannot afford a website, nor have the knowledge having ETSY setting up in Ireland is very positive as they be encouraged to set up a shop. Ireland needs money & ETSY can help craft makers in Ireland export their goods. Has to be positive?
Never heard of them before… but having such a huge company come to Ireland is brilliant
No Pat Rabbitte they didn’t come because of highly skilled workforce they came to dodge taxes , the highly skilled workforce is a bonus
The ability to poach experienced staff from the likes of eBay and Amazons EMEA hq’s is reason enough to move here. If it was just the tax rate they’d be in Luxemburg.
The function of any company is to increase shareholder value. That’s no conspiracy, it’s common sense. If Ireland is able to offer effective incentives to entice companies to set up shop here, then good. Of course a company will choose where it sets up shop based on the benefits that country offers. Again, common sense. Job creation = good. A company and it’s employees contributing to the Irish economy = good. I can understand that people are less than happy in this country, but Ai don’t understand what people persist in trying to find a dark cloud behind every silver lining. Do people want this country to fail and to never recover? Can anyone give me an example of where griping bitterness and universal pessimism lead to either a economic or emotional upturn in a country?
We’re Irish. We’re good at doing misery, with all the wailing and gnashing to teeth that goes along with it. Point proved. But it’s not going to help us any. It’s just begrudgery to the point where we’re blinded by anything good in our lives at all. Could we all just call a truce and agree to avoid the directionless whinging?
Here here!
Agh I love etsy. :) love handmade stuff :) and yeay for jobs!!
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