Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health, David Cullinane TD, has described as shameful and reckless the Government’s refusal to reverse their deliberate underfunding of health services in Budget 2024.

Deputy Cullinane said that the implications of the Government voting tonight to reject Sinn Féin’s proposals to properly fund the health service will be catastrophic for services, patients and healthcare workers across the state.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“The Government’s decision to tonight double down on their decision to deliberately underfund our health service beggars belief. 

“Sinn Féin called on the Government to step back from the brink and provide proper funding to keep our health services working.

“Patients, staff and opposition parties have implored them of the catastrophic consequences of failing to do so.

“But the government has refused to listen. They do not want to know, and instead stubbornly opted to plough ahead with a shameful and reckless plan that will have a devastating effect right across the state.

“The consequences will be felt widely across all health services, which will be forced to limp from crisis to crisis again next year.

“The crisis in Emergency Departments will deepen. Patients will continue to languish on trolleys. 

“There will be setbacks across mental health, disabilities, and in key clinical strategies such as cancer, cardiovascular and maternity care. There will be no new money for patients in need of new medicines which become available next year. 

“All of that will be on the head of every single member of government and every single TD who voted with them tonight. They cannot say they were not warned.

“And it is further proof, not that we needed it, that this government has thrown in the towel on health, thrown in the towel on patients, and thrown in the towel on healthcare workers.

“Sinn Féin will never throw in the towel on our health services, those who need to avail of them, or those who work within them.

“Our Alternative Budget showed that, unlike the Government, we are serious about tackling long waiting times and delivering universal healthcare.”