The former Fianna Fail health Minister and current Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, has categorically denied that there will be any health cuts in the direct aftermath of the general election.
Mr Cowen was reacting to reports in this morning’s Sunday Tribune which suggested that health boards would be cutting back on services because of lack of funding, immediately after the election.
On the contrary, Mr Cowen said, funding to the health boards had been increased by between 15 and 18 per cent in the last budget allocations and that Fianna Fail was committed to increasing health spending over the course of the next government.
However, the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn has dismissed Mr Cowen’s comments, accused Fianna Fail of "scepticism" about increased investment in the health services and said the prospects for the health services under a new Fianna Fail administration were bleak.
" This morning’s newspaper reports that health boards face imminent cutbacks bug proves that Fianna Fail’s electoral promises on hospital waiting lists are simply untrue," Mr Quinn said.
"Not only will Fianna Fail fail to tackle waiting lists once again but things will get worse and in the immediate future.
"The choice facing voters interested in the health issue in this election is clear."
Mr Quinn also said the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, had shown himself to "sceptical" about increased health spending in the current economic climate.
"Charlie McCreevy will not fund these improvements against the backdrop of a deteriorating economic position, his scepticism about increased investment in our health services is well known," Mr Quinn added.
"The clear choice then is between Labour who have made improving and transforming the health services our number one priority and Fianna Fail who are making the same vague promises that they made on the last occasion."