Sir, – Paul Cullen may be unaware how his continued excellent analysis of the problems befalling the Irish heath service are important in the run-up to the Northern Ireland Assembly election on May 5th ("Age-old internal problems hitting health service", Analysis, April 5th).
My experience crossing the Border to canvass for the Alliance Party over the last five weekends, together with monitoring social media, reveals a huge complacency amongst nationalists about the consequences for their future healthcare arrangements in a united Ireland. The mythology promoted by some nationalist commentators includes “lower waiting lists in the South, Sláintecare is just around the corner and don’t worry about cost because anybody who can’t afford to pay can get medical cards”.
Northerners who have never paid to see a GP for 75 years are being told they have nothing to fear from the Southern system. Revelations as to the true picture in the Republic are dismissed as unionist propaganda. Please keep writing, Paul, to help counter this nonsense. – Yours, etc,
KENNETH HARPER,
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Burtonport,
Co Donegal.