Sinn Féin MLA Liz Kimmins and David Cullinane TD have today called for greater all-island approaches to healthcare.

The party’s representatives were speaking after the assembly’s health committee visited Leinster House to engage with the Oireachtas’ health committee.

Liz Kimmins said:

“To improve health outcomes for people right across this island, we must use every tool available to us. This includes greater cross-border co-operation.

“Today’s visit to Leinster House is a fantastic opportunity to engage with TDs on the Oireachtas’ health committee and to look at ways we can better work together.

“An improved all-island approach to health care would not only improve the quality of life for people on our island, but would also make our health system more sustainable.

“The recently announced £58 million by PEACEPLUS, which will help to support mental ill-health services among others, will be an important resource in tackling health inequalities in border communities.

“This funding must now be built upon by both health ministers on this island to cut waiting lists, fund mental health and cancer services, hire more doctors and nurses and transform health.”

David Cullinane said:

“I welcome the opportunity for the Oireachtas health committee to engage with our colleagues from the north today to explore deeper all-island cooperation in healthcare.

“Partition has limited the potential of the full population of the island in terms of specialist health care, local services in border counties, and in workforce planning across our universities.

“Sinn Féin believes in all-island healthcare, and an all-island health and social care system. We can do so much more as a nation than either jurisdiction can achieve on its own.”