HEALTH:MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney is the "wrecking ball" of the health service, according to Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
Sharply criticising the Minister, Mr Ó Caoláin said the Government had "grossly mishandled the pharmacy dispute", and called for the amendment of competition legislation.
He said the "so-called savings across health services" were a "throwback to the dark days of the 1980s, and have seen the tightening of the recruitment ban, reduction in services in many hospitals and removal of entire services from others".
Gráinne Mhic Geidigh, a member of Údaras na Gaeltachta, highlighted victims of the health service, including "two women, one a lone parent and one the mother of disabled children, who opted for a mastectomy rather than place a heavy burden on their families".
"It is surely inhumane to ask sick people to travel hundreds of miles to Dublin, coupled with the additional hardship placed on families to find accommodation and the sense of isolation felt by all."
Former Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe said political parties claimed before the general election that the future of Tallaght hospital was safe, but now it was being stripped of essential staff.
Tallaght's "A&E treated 78,000 patients last year, making it one of the busiest in the State. It's A&E should have four consultants, but it has one."
Caral Ní Chuilin, the party's Assembly health spokeswoman, said "ill health does not recognise partition or borders, and we need to ensure we have joined-up approaches to the provision of health and social care".
Imelda Munster from Drogheda said Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in the town "now epitomises everything that is wrong with our public health service".
She said Drogheda had kept its hospital "but what's the point in having a hospital in name only" because, like others, they had lost "much-needed vital services", including plans to close the Dochas centre, a one-stop breast clinic which treated more than 100 new patients each year.
She warned that people would not let this service go without a fight.
