Government criticised over private hospitals

The Government's record on health services was sharply attacked by the Opposition during heated exchanges. Labour leader Pat Rabbitte accused Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of "evading, obfuscating, twisting and distorting, ducking and diving".

Mr Rabbitte claimed that the Government had decided to give private developers a write-off for the construction cost of private hospitals on the grounds of public hospitals.

Mr Ahern said that the Health Service Executive (HSE) aimed to evaluate tenders and select the successful bidders over the period required. Minister for Health Mary Harney had said earlier in the day that the final contract would be subject to planning approval, he added.

"The system is to try to free an additional 1,000 beds for public patients that are currently being used for private cases. That has been our stated policy for the last number of years and those negotiations are continuing," he said.

Mr Rabbitte claimed that none of Mr Ahern's predecessors could come into the House and and get away with the way Mr Ahern "twists and obfuscates".

Was the Taoiseach seriously telling him that the Government was maintaining a shift towards "a for-profit system of medicine", and that he, "a socialist Taoiseach", knew nothing about it? "I do not believe that for a second. I ask again, is it a lease or a sale? Will the contracts be signed? The Minister for Health said nothing about not knowing if it would be weeks or months today." Mr Ahern said that he had said clearly that the HSE would issue the invitation to tender to selected bidders at the end of this week or early next week.

Mr Rabbitte asked: "Tenders for what? To lease, to sell . . . " Mr Ahern said: "I know the deputy appears stupid at times, but he cannot be that stupid." Pressed further by Mr Rabbitte, Mr Ahern said that a sale would not be involved.

"The Minister, Deputy Harney, said today that she wanted to attract investment into the health service and contrary to some view, which is mainly Deputy Rabbitte's view, we will not give away any land. The land would be leased. The private providers will profit share with a public hospital."

Mr Ahern said the Government wished for eight private hospitals to be built on those lands as soon as possible. It would be quicker than the public sector doing it. "Deputy Rabbitte is right. I do take the socialist view on this matter. It is wrong that private beds in public hospitals are being part paid by the private operators.

"It would be far better if we could build private hospitals that would take the private beds out of the public hospitals and put 1,000 public patients in to reduce the waiting lists. In that way, we would be able to have a faster and better health system." Earlier, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked Mr Ahern if he took time to go down corridors when he visited hospitals.

"We do not live in fantasy land any more.Patrick Kinder, chairman of the taskforce dealing with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, does not live in fantasy land and said that women in the northeast are exposed to serious risk because they cannot see an obstetrician for 20 weeks once pregnant. That is a scandal."

Mr Ahern said when visiting hospitals he had heard the negative comments but also heard an endless number of positive ones.

"People who have been in for major cardiac surgery, heart and lung transplants, maternity care or other kinds of treatments, including people who believed they were on death's door, have said they were treated well," he said.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said Mr Ahern should explain his notion of socialism when he asserted he had no problem in accepting private hospitals co-locating on public hospital sites.