Madam, - The Government proposes to remove from people over the age of 70 an automatic entitlement to a medical card. I look forward to voting against this in the Dáil.
Like most people, I am shocked that seniors have been targeted for one of the most callous cutbacks and I am dismayed at both the Government's attempt to pin the blame on general practitioners and the poor defence that they have mounted.
First of all, allow me to say that I am not a member of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and while I still do some general practice in order to finish off my postgraduate training, I do not receive any remuneration.
In fact, it costs me several thousand euro as I must pay for my own medical insurance.
The IMO secured a very generous deal for GPs when the "gold card" was introduced in 2001.
The deal was negotiated by Dr James Reilly, then president of the IMO and Micheál Martin TD, then minister for health.
It is a great shame that Dr Reilly was not minister for health and Micheál Martin the president of IMO.
Had that been the case, we would probably all have medical cards by now.
It has been noted that GPs receive €640 for every patient with a "gold card". The pharmaceutical industry gets more. However, the fees that GPs receive for other patients are much lower; about €170 for the vast majority of pensioners who do not have "gold cards" and about €80 for children. In short, doctors must provide a full service below the commercial rate if a child with a medical card attends more than twice a year or a pensioner attends more than four times a year.
Generally, this is the case. The "gold cards" compensate many doctors for poor fees they receive for other patients.
Unfortunately, this compensation does not exist for doctors working in disadvantaged areas where "gold cards" and private patients are few.
General practitioners have sought a comprehensive re-negotiation of the GMS contract for many years.
Recently, the Government imposed on GPs the cervical cancer screening contract and changes to the childhood immunisation scheme without consultation.
The Government has consistently refused to enter talks with the IMO, initially citing European law until this was refuted by the European Commission and latterly the Competition Act.
Now that the Government is in trouble, Brian Cowen wants to talk.
Doctors are an easy target. They are relatively wealthy and are not numerous.
The next budget battle will be about the cutbacks in education. Budget 2009 provides for a €312 million increase in education spending but €320 million will be needed for increases in teachers' pay and pensions.
It will be interesting to see if the Government will adopt the same tactic by blaming teachers for the cutbacks in education if it means taking on tens of thousands of well organised teachers whose unions helped Fianna Fáil back into power. - Yours, etc,
Dr LEO VARADKAR TD,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - The absence of public protest against the Budget cuts in the equality sector is striking, but not surprising.
The Equality Authority - the only agency in this sector backed by legislation to investigate and compensate those discriminated against by employers and service providers - had its budget cut by almost half. The Human Rights Commission's funding was cut, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism was axed altogether, the Combat Poverty Agency was subsumed in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, and the budget of the Minister of State for Integration was cut by 26 per cent.
Striking, but not surprising, considering the 2004 statement of the former minister for justice and equality (who has since lost his Dáil seat) that the "rights culture and equality notion would create a feudal society" and that "inequality is a crucial economic incentive".
While these cuts are certain to promote greater inequality, will they promote economic incentive? Striking, but not surprising - the Irish Government's approach to migrants went from demonising "bogus refugees" and "illegal immigrants" to recruiting migrants whose skills and manual labour were crucial for Ireland's prosperity.
Now that the prosperity is yesterday's headline, migrants are blamed for the downturn, which might explain the absence of public protest.
But remember that this attack on human rights and equality structures will ultimately damage not merely migrants, but also many others: women, poor people, gay people, Travellers, older people, us all. - Yours, etc,
Dr RONIT LENTIN,
Trinity College,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) is seriously concerned that many of the implications of the cuts in education provision outlined in the recent Budget are not readily understood.
It is clear that the proposed increase in the pupil-teacher ratio, the abolition of a number of grant schemes (especially the book grant for needy students), limitations on language support, a reduction in capitation grants for Travellers and programme support will have serious, long-term, negative implications for our students' future and for the management of our schools.
However, the removal of substitution cover for uncertified sick leave and for absences on school business will have an immediate and catastrophic effect on the day-to-day operation of schools from January next and is certain to impact negatively on the working conditions of principals and deputy principals.
The prospect of a return to the nightmare position of 2001, when principals and deputy principals spent their time supervising students in order to keep schools open, is unacceptable and cannot be allowed happen.
NAPD is concerned to protect the health, welfare and morale of its members and will use every means at its disposal to ensure that principals and deputies can get on with their job of leading learning in their schools.
It is hoped that meetings between all the education partners, who have a vested interest in safeguarding our children's future, will take place immediately, leading to discussions about how the effects of the proposed cutbacks on the disadvantaged can be minimised and savings made in other areas.
It is essential that every principal and deputy principal voice their opinion and make clear to the Government that the proposals to restrict substitution cover from January onwards will make schools impossible to manage. - Yours, etc,
CLIVE BYRNE,
Director,
National Association of
Principals and Deputy
Principals,
46, Lower Leeson Street,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - The Minister for Finance should be ashamed of himself when he blamed people who shop in "another state" for the increase in taxes.
I do it all the time and why wouldn't I, with the rip-off prices we pay down here, in this so-called banana republic? - Yours, etc,
PAUL DORAN,
Monastery Walk,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.