FG Question 'Who Exactly' Will Pay For SF's Health Plan

Fine Gael has raised concerns over Sinn Féin's proposed universal healthcare plan, asking "who exactly" is going to pay for it?

Raising the question, Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central, and Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, Jerry Buttimer, said: "It's great that Sinn Féin are supporting Fine Gael's model of Universal Health Care, but what they fail to tell us is who exactly is going to pay for their plans.

"Sinn Féin say that the most effective way to fund health reform is through taxation and PRSI contributions. But who will be taxed more and by how much?

"In their plan they propose introducing free GP care for all, commencing with lower income households. But does this mean they would take free GP cards back from the under 6's and over 70's who already have them and who don't come under whatever income threshold they introduce?

"Sinn Féin claim that people would be better off in their pockets under their health plans, but this is simply not true for almost half of the population. Sinn Féin plan to cancel the relief on private health insurance. This tax relief of 20% on the cost of health premiums currently benefits 46% of the Irish population and can be worth several hundred euro to families across Ireland."

(MH/LM)