Mayo Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

"Demand your Healthcare Rights" National Rally

21 October, 2006

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP said it was crucial that there is a big turn out for the party's "Demand your healthcare rights" national rally on October 21st in Dublin.

Outlining the success of the party's health campaign, Mr Adams encouraged people, "to take personal ownership of this issue and to demand their healthcare rights - a health system properly funded as a public service that provides care at the point of delivery for all on the basis of need alone and funded from general taxation.

Mr Adams said, "Over the next couple of weeks Sinn Féin activists across Ireland will be mobilising for our health rally on October 21st.

"This rally is the culmination of campaign on the health issue that began with the launch of our policy document, Healthcare in an Ireland of Equals in April.

"A Day of Action in May involved dozens of pickets and stalls right around the state while during the summer we distributed over half a million four page newsletters outlining Sinn Féin's analysis of the health crisis and our proposals for solution.

'We have also highlighted the deeply flawed proposal from Minister Harney to transfer public land to private hospitals.

"During a recent series of visits to hospitals and health care professionals in Dublin, Wexford, Dundalk, Drogheda, Navan, Waterford, Cork, and Castlebar I have discussed Sinn Féin's health proposals. These were well received and it is our intention to incorporate suggestions which I and our Health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD received from health care professionals. I am delighted at the overwhelmingly positive reaction.

"I am encouraging people from every walk of life to turn out on October the 21st, for each to take personal ownership of this issue, to demand their healthcare rights - a health system properly funded as a public service that provides care at the point of delivery for all on the basis of need alone and funded from general taxation.

"A big turnout on October 21st will demonstrate the widespread dissatisfaction there is with the poor state of our health service. It can also help lay the ground work for ensuring that health is at the centre of the public debate in the upcoming general election campaign.

"Our health service can be better. Sinn Féin is proposing a viable, realistic alternative approach which can end the current inefficient and unequal two tier health system."