Health and Social Care

One of the most basic functions of a republic is to put in place the necessary services to keep people well and treat them when they are sick. It’s not too much for people to expect decent healthcare; it is a key part of the social contract.

Instead, Ireland has a dysfunctional two-tier health service which has not been capable of meeting people’s needs. Traditionally it has been characterised by an inadequate public health service with long waiting lists on the one hand and, on the other, a large cohort of people feeling they need expensive private health insurance, essentially a health tax, in order to access timely care.

We want to fully implement the Sláintecare programme within the term of the next government. The re-structuring laid out in the programme will transform how healthcare is delivered in Ireland, providing the country with the universal healthcare service it currently lacks. Pre-committed funding for this, outside of the budgetary process, will be a red line for us in Programme for Government negotiations.

Our Healthcare Priorities

• Fully implement the Sláintecare programme within the term of the next government
• Establish a National Workforce Task Force to address both the short-term and medium-term needs of our Health and Social Care sector
• Challenge the creeping privatisation of Ireland’s healthcare services
• Continue the phased rolling out of free GP care to all age groups
• Set a pathway towards allocating 10 per cent of the total health budget to mental health services by the end of 2030
• Legislate for a statutory right to homecare

Find Out More

You can read more about our policies and plans in our Health and Social Care policy document, linked below.