Vaccines being doled out as if they were tickets for a corporate box in the Aviva Stadium. This in essence sums up the scandal surrounding Michael Cullen, CEO of the for-profit Beacon hospital, and the vaccinations he arranged for 20 teachers from the exclusive fee-paying school that his children attend. No doubt many others received vaccines at the Beacon in ...

By Finghín Kelly Last week while being interviewed about Ryanair’s near €1billion loss Michael O’Leary arrogantly attacked the Covid-19 measures, calling for a complete re-opening of society (and crucially for him the airlines!) once over 50s have been vaccinated.  Should his demands be satisfied it would guarantee a new wave of infections, thousands more deaths and potentially a major impetus ...

By Valerie O’Leary The proportion of healthcare workers contracting Covid-19 in Ireland is amongst the highest in the world. 31.8% of total cases of Covid-19 are associated with healthcare workers, while 1 in 10 of cases are directly associated with nurses or midwives.  In comparison, the prevalence of healthcare workers amongst those who contracted the disease worldwide is between 5% ...

By Colm McCarthy The severe pressure the health service has come under from the Covid-19 outbreak has led the government to temporarily take over the running of private hospitals in the state. In doing so, they have acknowledged the inability of our two-tier health service to tackle this pandemic. This is a system that is inherently unequal and unjust. It ...

By Finghín Kelly  The Irish health system is at breaking point. Last year was the worst year on record for hospital overcrowding. An incredible 118,367 people were without beds throughout the year. This represents a near trebling since 2006! 2020 is set to be another record-breaking year with the first week of the year being the worst week on record ...

Ambulance paramedics, advance paramedics and emergency medical technicians are striking today for union recognition and against the Government’s hard line union busting position. NASRA and the PNA are the union of choice for a very substantial bloc of ambulance workers. Some 1,800 people work in the national ambulance service, 600 of these workers want to be represented by NASRA. However, ...

Below is a powerful testimony from a nurse (who wished to remain anonymous) about the conditions that she and her workmates face on a daily basis. We need to give full support and solidarity to the action of the INMO and the PNA in the coming weeks. We need a national health services free at the point of use.  I’m ...

By Cillian Gillespie The eighth amendment, passed in September 1983, symbolised everything that is insidious and rotten in the historic tie that has bound the Catholic Church and the Southern Irish State together since its foundation in 1922. It’s passing ensured that right wing, misogynistic Catholic doctrine would be written into law, equating as it did, the life of a ...

Government faces growing political and economic instability.

By Ciaran Mulholland Our health care system is in crisis. This is most clearly illustrated by the many hundreds waiting on trolleys in Accident and Emergency Departments every weekend, and by the long waiting lists for planned surgery. Another aspect of the crisis is the poor service received by those with mental health conditions such as depression. Lacks of services ...