Opposition hypocrisy on medical cards

[goosebump]

Labour

In 2005:

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/an...her_excuse.pdf

"The Government’s electoral ploy in extending medical cards to over-70s
regardless of the consequences has been disastrous in cost and equality
terms."

Fine Gael's James Reilly

in 2001

Medical cards for the elderly - doctors criticised

"Voluntary groups representing older people have condemned the reaction of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to the introduction of medical cards for everyone 70 years or older. Dr James Reilly, Chairman of the IMO General Practitioners Committee, had criticised the recent budget move as 'handing out free medical cards to people who can afford Golf Club fees'."

[goosebump]

Labour

In 2005:

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/an...her_excuse.pdf

"The Government’s electoral ploy in extending medical cards to over-70s
regardless of the consequences has been disastrous in cost and equality
terms."

Fine Gael's James Reilly

in 2001

Medical cards for the elderly - doctors criticised

"Voluntary groups representing older people have condemned the reaction of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to the introduction of medical cards for everyone 70 years or older. Dr James Reilly, Chairman of the IMO General Practitioners Committee, had criticised the recent budget move as 'handing out free medical cards to people who can afford Golf Club fees'."

Just saw Reilly on the news fulminating about this. Why is no one asking him about his IMO position?

[PhoenixIreland]

Labour

In 2005:

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/an...her_excuse.pdf

"The Government’s electoral ploy in extending medical cards to over-70s
regardless of the consequences has been disastrous in cost and equality
terms."

Fine Gael's James Reilly

in 2001

Medical cards for the elderly - doctors criticised

"Voluntary groups representing older people have condemned the reaction of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to the introduction of medical cards for everyone 70 years or older. Dr James Reilly, Chairman of the IMO General Practitioners Committee, had criticised the recent budget move as 'handing out free medical cards to people who can afford Golf Club fees'."

Why were Labour complaining about over 70s having medical cards when they want EVERYONE to have GP visit cards????

[goosebump]

Why were Labour complaining about over 70s having medical cards when they want EVERYONE to have GP visit cards????

Labour were opposed to it at the beginning, but did vow to continue it (obviously).

Reilly on the other hand was implacably opposed to it, and also negotiated the the Gold Card fee for the IMO, which is a large part of the problem.

[PhoenixIreland]

Labour were opposed to it at the beginning, but did vow to continue it (obviously).

Reilly on the other hand was implacably opposed to it, and also negotiated the the Gold Card fee for the IMO, which is a large part of the problem.

So it's like tax cuts in 2007?
10 years opposing it then trying to out-tax cut the people they said were encouraging inequality?

[Myles_per_hour]

Labour

In 2005:

http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/an...her_excuse.pdf

"The Government’s electoral ploy in extending medical cards to over-70s
regardless of the consequences has been disastrous in cost and equality
terms."

Fine Gael's James Reilly

in 2001

Medical cards for the elderly - doctors criticised

"Voluntary groups representing older people have condemned the reaction of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) to the introduction of medical cards for everyone 70 years or older. Dr James Reilly, Chairman of the IMO General Practitioners Committee, had criticised the recent budget move as 'handing out free medical cards to people who can afford Golf Club fees'."

Your hypocrisy knows no bounds.

FG and Labour criticised the creation of the free-for-all system because it had not been properly worked out, set up and was not financially viable. Your new pals in FF ignored all advice and bulldozed the scheme through. Thousands of people made arrangements based on the new deal. Your pals in FF, aided by their poodles in your Green Party, have now decided unilaterally to change the rules after large numbers of people have changed their own medical arrangements with VHI, Hibernian Health and Quinn Healthcare, leaving all those people high and dry. You cannot keep changing the rules and dump people like that.

It shows the poodle nature of your Greens that your only role in the controversy is to act as a FF cheerleader. Hypocrisy seems to be the middle name for the Greens now.

The Greens like posing as morally superior. In reality they have been shown to be moral wimps. They get worked up over lightbulbs but go silent when senior citizens are being screwed around.

You and FF will regret the mistake to did this week.

[PhoenixIreland]

Does anyone here SERIOUSLY expect us to beleive large numbers of people gave up the pampering and private rooms of private hospitals for a very modest insurance cost for medical cards that would only qualify them for filthy public hospitals with long waiting lists and poor quality services?

Come off it ffsake!

I'd bet nearly everyone kept their VHI/BUPA and their Medical Card

[jc_ie]

Ah the lets attack the opposition for the government making a huge mistake defence......

The fact of the matter is the government went ahead and only a few short years later is making a major uturn which is causing major distress to the over 70's.

Either the government was incomptent in bringing it in or is incompetent in taking it away.

Which is it?

[Myles_per_hour]

Does anyone here SERIOUSLY expect us to beleive large numbers of people gave up the pampering and private rooms of private hospitals for a very modest insurance cost for medical cards that would only qualify them for filthy public hospitals with long waiting lists and poor quality services?

Come off it ffsake!

I'd bet nearly everyone kept their VHI/BUPA and their Medical Card

You obviously know as little about the topic as goosebump.

1. BUPA does not exist anymore in Ireland.

2. They gave up their VHI, Hibernian and Quinn because it costs a lot of money which many people struggled to afford on pensions. You also seem to have little understanding of what private insurance gets you.

[Myles_per_hour]

Ah the lets attack the opposition for the government making a huge mistake defence......

The fact of the matter is the government went ahead and only a few short years later is making a major uturn which is causing major distress to the over 70's.

Either the government was incomptent in bringing it in or is incompetent in taking it away.

Which is it?

It is amazing watching the Greens these days - they have become more FF than the FFers themselves. Their cynical antics (such as goosebump's here) as so different to the high and mighty preaching they engaged in when in opposition. The modern greens swing wildly between self-right lecturing and cynical political attacks, such as blaming the opposition for their own government's incompetent cock-ups.