Privatisation of health service sparks row in General Election 2020

FINE Gael election candidate Mike Kennelly has landed himself in hot water during the election campaign with indications that he believed that the health service should be ‘privatised’.

His comments have caused furore on the campaign trail but also seem at odds with his own party’s views on the health service.

In the party’s manifesto they commit to an additional €5 billion per year to resource the health service and provide additional beds, as well as the extension of the free GP service.

However, the Listowel candidate says that the health system should be privatised if it cannot be fixed – a comment that is likely to cause anger on the doorsteps.

There has been a backlash on the campaign trail about the state of the health system under the party, particularly the long delays many patients have experienced.

It didn’t take long for one of his opponents on the campaign

– in this case, Sinn Fein’s Pa Daly – to hit out at his comments.

“The comments by Mike Kennelly reflected a very prevalent view within the Fine Gael party and, whilst I fundamentally disagree with his proposals, I welcome the fact that Mike has come clean on his parties intentions for our health system,” Cllr Daly said.

“We now know for a certainty that, if given a free run, Mike Kennelly and his Fine Gael colleagues will privatise our health service and bring us towards an American model, where the less well-off struggle to meet health care costs,” he said in a statement.

The Tralee candidate then urged voters to seek change and vote for Sinn Fein in the upcoming General Election.

“Our vision for healthcare could not be more different from that of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael,” he said.

“Our vision is to establish a modern, world-class universal health system that is free at the point of use and available to everyone, when they need it.”

This promise is what every party ever going for election has promised and failed to deliver to date – a modern health care system and its unlikely that Sinn Fein would have such success.

One thing is for certain: health is playing a central role in General Election 2020 on both a national platform and on Kerry doorsteps, and voters will be eyeing up plans by all the parties this time around.

Cut-backs in mental health and disability cut-backs have also been strongly criticised by candidates on the campaign trial.

Cllr Pa Daly, who is running for Sinn Fein.

Cllr Mike Kennelly, running for Fine Gael.