Sinn Féin Health spokesperson David Cullinane has said that Fianna Fáil cannot be trusted on health and that the only way to fix health is to vote for a change of government.

The Department of Health confirmed today that none of the surgical hubs announced in 2022 as a ‘quick fix’ for hospital waiting lists have begun taking patients and just one is due to do so by the end of the year.

David Cullinane said:

“It is clear that Fianna Fáil have failed abysmally to deliver the transformation that our healthcare service needs. At this election, the people have a stark choice between more of the same under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael who have failed on health or a vote for change with Sinn Féin. 

“Sinn Féin have the plan and the determination to deliver on health. The only way to fix health is to vote for a change of government by voting Sinn Féin.

“Throughout Fianna Fáil Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s time in office, he has failed to get a grip on waiting lists with as many people waiting on a hospital appointment now as when he took office. The majority of people are waiting longer than the Sláintecare waiting list targets, and there has been virtually no progress over the last 18 months.

“These surgical hubs were announced by him as a ‘quick fix’ solution in 2022 as he faced mounting pressure due to spiralling waiting lists. 

“Yet, two years on from this promise, not only has he failed to tackle the chaos and overcrowding in our hospitals that is driving waiting lists, but the Department of Health has also confirmed that none of the hubs have begun taking patients and just one is due to do so by the end of this year.

“Meanwhile, patients continue to face painful delays and huge uncertainty as they wait for healthcare they should be entitled to receive when they need it.

“It is clear that Fianna Fáil cannot be trusted to fix health. Their big announcements never deliver the change that people need. 

“These surgical hubs are just the latest in a long line of scandalous delays to infrastructure projects that this government is responsible for. They can’t deliver on big projects like the National Children’s Hospital or smaller ones like these hubs. How can they be trusted to deliver four new elective hospitals, a new maternity hospital and thousands more beds?

“The only way to fix health is by voting to elect a Sinn Féin government. We have set out our vision to transform the health service and ensure that patients get the high quality care they need, when they need it.”