Sir, – Edward D Rafferty (December 12th) bemoans the fact that our President is having knee surgery in a private hospital, rather than in one of the overcrowded underfunded public hospitals in or near Dublin city. As a private citizen in a democratic republic, it is none of Mr Rafferty’s business where the President undergoes surgery, and quite frankly is a gross violation of his privacy.
He should be applauded for not costing the State the cost of his surgery, and I am surprised at The Irish Timesprinting such an asinine letter. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Edward D Rafferty’s decrying of President Higgins availing of private health care in a Galway facility is petulant nonsense (December 13th). The President has almost certainly been paying premiums to a health insurance provider for much of his professional life as either an academic or a politician. As do almost half the adults in this country. He is perfectly entitled to have his reparative knee surgery done in a private hospital.
Aside from which, he is the head of State, for goodness’ sake. He walks and stands for hours on a daily basis, and will be expected to travel overseas on State occasions, and host international dignatories for the next seven years. That he would not receive the best possible health care as President of the country is just ridiculous guff. The lack of an acceptable public health system is hardly his personal fault. – Yours, etc,