Tory cuts led to funding gap for NHS, not Stormont: Michelle O’neill

Heather Robinson: Michelle, you were Health Minister and walked away from the post, so don’t blame anyone else. Health has been very badly managed over time and it’s always the same cry: more funding. Maybe now we have Robin Swann it will change.

Jenny Archer: Michelle O’neill bears some responsibility for this. She was in charge when this NHS deficit happened and left us depleted in staffing numbers and equipment. She had her chance.

Ray Scott: Rarely do I agree with Michelle, but both she and Robin are absolutely correct on this.

Joy Hamilton: There is no doubt that Tory cuts impacted on this, but the main problem was not having politicians in our own government. The NHS in GB was not in the terrible state our NHS found itself in. We had massive waiting lists, staff shortages and massive under-resourcing far worse than anything seen in the NHS in GB.

Ronnie Matthews: Okay, yes, she has a point, but there are too many other issues. Lack of an Executive for three years and pure incompetence by ministers also played a role. You need people in government who understand and have distinct knowledge of issues. We just vote in parties.

Francis Massey: She did not mind taking three years’ wages at Stormont. Has she no shame?

Rory Donaghy: The way the health service has been left is not by accident, but by design. The Tories want to run the NHS into the ground and bring privatisation in by the back door. That’s what they did with care homes and look at the state of them now.

Wendy Reid:

What about all the money the MLAS took when they didn’t work? That could have helped the NHS. You can’t keep blaming others for your failures.

Suzanne Hunt: What’s done is done and can’t be undone. Stop the blame game and come and work together and put the NHS in Northern Ireland first from now on. Somehow, I think the Government will be a bit more forthcoming with money for the NHS after this.