Sinn Féin accuse Government of trying to 'hoodwink the electorate'

Sinn Féin has claimed the Government has been "exposed" for trying to "hoodwink the electorate on health" after it emerged senior Department of Health officials forced the HSE to delete serious funding warnings from its budget for this year.

Sinn Féin accuse Government of trying to 'hoodwink the electorate'

Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

Political Reporter

Sinn Féin has claimed the Government has been "exposed" for trying to "hoodwink the electorate on health" after it emerged senior Department of Health officials forced the HSE to delete serious funding warnings from its budget for this year.

On Saturday, the Irish Examiner revealed that HSE director general Tony O Brien warned the Department of Health last November that 2016 will be "the most difficult year the health service has faced over the last 10 years".

Internal correspondence obtained by this newspaper showed the head of the health service said this is the case because of a lack of funds, rising expectation around access to services and "the public perception in relation to the end of austerity".

Despite the dire warning, the Department's secretary general James Breslin wrote back to criticise the lack of "realism" and forced the deletion of phrases like "residual funding shortfall" and "significant operating shortfall" from the HSE's public budget plan while Health Minister Leo Varadkar wrote that "a few things might need tweaking particularly around presentation".

Hitting out at the situation at the launch of his own party's universal healthcare policy document today, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the coalition has been "exposed" for "trying to cook the cooks" and "hoodwink the electorate".

The Louth TD said the Fine Gael-Labour Government's legacy on health is "a litany of broken promises".

He added that an interview with a Sunday newspaper this morning in which Mr Varadkar claimed hospitals having less beds and resources work better as those adequately funded "don't feel as much pressure" is an "extraordinary" indictment of the system.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Pile or group of multi colored and different sizes of colourful foil wrapped chocolate easter eggs in pink, blue, and gold. Larg Young sisters donate hundreds of Easter eggs to children's hospital
Ireland has third highest level of deaths on rural roads in EU  Ireland has third highest level of deaths on rural roads in EU 
Mother and daughters killed in Mayo crash named locally, as husband returns to Ireland 'Their smiles lit up the room': Tributes paid to mother and daughters killed in Mayo crash
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited