Sinn Fein To Stage Health Protest

A protest will be staged outside Leinster House today as Sinn Féin launches its action week on health. Challenging the Minister for Health Mary Harney’s seat in the forthcoming election, Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West candidate Joanne Spain will unveil the party’s plans.

“The issue of health is a major one in my constituency, not least because our minister for health Mary Harney is a sitting TD,” said Ms Spain. “People in Dublin Mid West feel personally let down by the minister and the route she has chosen to take healthcare in this state.

“The vast majority of people in her own constituency cannot afford the private healthcare system she believes is the answer to all our problems. They are furious that instead of properly investing in and managing public healthcare she is pulling stunts such as gifting the land of public hospitals to private hospital developers.”

Ms Spain will be joined by Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, health spokesperson Caoimhghin O Caolain and Donegal election candidate Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn.

The party will stage a protest outside Leinster House at 12.30pm, attend a meeting on mental health in Buswells tonight, and picket Mary Harney’s Clondalkin office tomorrow.

Ms Spain claims her constituents have had enough of the current health service. “Sinn Féin’s policies on healthcare, where we clearly state that we want a free healthcare system at the point of delivery, an investment in community health centres and an immediate increase in hospital beds, are what people want,” she added.

“Mary Harney may want to keep her head in the sand about the problems in healthcare, but we are going to bring these issues to her doorstep and get her to listen to us.”