Campaign for Labour Policies: Event: Oct 10th 2012

[C. Flower]

Achieving Labour policies in 2013

Budget 2013

Primary Healthcare


The Campaign for Labour Policies is hosting an event on October 10th to discuss two critical issues in current government decision-making – Budget 2013, and the primary healthcare agenda.



1) Ensuring a fair and equitable Budget 2013
Launch of the Campaign for Labour Policies pre-budget submission. Speakers will outline the key policies needed to ensure Budget 2013 delivers equality, jobs and growth for 2013.



2) Primary healthcare at the core of Labour health policy in government
Recent events have shown the challenges of achieving Labour health policies in coalition. This discussion will help members to argue for a reformed health service which delivers for the people in Ireland who need it most.


Speakers TBC for both events.
Venue: TBC
Date / Time: Wednesday October 10th at 8pm

The campaign, the grassroots organisation of Labour Party members, will meet in the Teachers Club, Dublin, on Wednesday to discuss the progress of the reform of the healthcare system.
Among the items which will be discussed are the decision of Ms
Shorthall to resign her position; what action must be taken to ensure the full implementation of the primary healthcare and alcohol misuse strategies, and members’ privatisation concerns.

[jmcc]

The sheer irony of a Labour Party meeting in the Teachers Club is obviously lost on those concerned.

Regards...jmcc

[C. Flower]

The sheer irony of a Labour Party meeting in the Teachers Club is obviously lost on those concerned.

Regards...jmcc

Where else would you suggest ?

[jmcc]

Where else would you suggest ?

Anywhere else. If it is serious about being an alternative then it has to dump the angry school teachers image. Otherwise it will just be dismissed as more Croke Park Agreement posturing.

Regards...jmcc

[C. Flower]

Any news of what happened at this meeting ?

[Margaret Wilson]

October 11th 2012

Labour members call for an end to health care privatisation

A meeting of the Campaign for Labour Policies, the grassroots organisation of Labour party members, last night (Wednesday, 10th October) called on the Labour Party to stop any further privatisation of our health services.

The Labour members who attended the meeting in the Teachers Club in Dublin called on the Party to immediately halt the privatisation of Home Help services, which is adversely impacting on the most vulnerable members of our society.

Those in attendance also voiced opposition to the Government pursuing the privatisation of health services by following the Dutch model.

Campaign for Labour Policies spokesperson, Neil Warner, said: "The resignation of Rosin Shorthall has alerted us all to the clear and present danger of the privatisation of our health system. This is a defining moment, when the future of our health services is at stake. The profits of private companies must not come before the right of people to access adequate healthcare.

“It is clear that when Minister for Health, James Reilly, talks of healthcare reform what he actually means is health care privatisation and the imposition of a model driven by the interests of private for profit companies. Such an approach enriches healthcare professionals and private companies at the expense of the public.

He added: "In light of this reality the meeting unanimously backed a call for the Labour Party to demand the immediate resignation of James Reilly from his position as Minister for Health. Not only has he failed to account for his decision to change the criteria for selection of sites for primary heath care centres, his commitment to privatisation and out-sourcing runs directly counter to the development of the public health model to which the Labour Party is pledged."

[DCon]

“It is clear that when Minister for Health, James Reilly, talks of healthcare reform what he actually means is health care privatisation and the imposition of a model driven by the interests of private for profit companies. Such an approach enriches healthcare professionals and private companies at the expense of the public.

This is true

And he will be supported every step of the way by Gilmore

[Jolly Red Giant]

Do this group support the introduction of Universal Health Insurance ?

[Richardbouvet]

Yes.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Yes.

Then the Campaign for Labour Policies supports the privatisation of health care in this country.

[C. Flower]

October 11th 2012

Labour members call for an end to health care privatisation

A meeting of the Campaign for Labour Policies, the grassroots organisation of Labour party members, last night (Wednesday, 10th October) called on the Labour Party to stop any further privatisation of our health services.

The Labour members who attended the meeting in the Teachers Club in Dublin called on the Party to immediately halt the privatisation of Home Help services, which is adversely impacting on the most vulnerable members of our society.

Those in attendance also voiced opposition to the Government pursuing the privatisation of health services by following the Dutch model.

Campaign for Labour Policies spokesperson, Neil Warner, said: "The resignation of Rosin Shorthall has alerted us all to the clear and present danger of the privatisation of our health system. This is a defining moment, when the future of our health services is at stake. The profits of private companies must not come before the right of people to access adequate healthcare.

“It is clear that when Minister for Health, James Reilly, talks of healthcare reform what he actually means is health care privatisation and the imposition of a model driven by the interests of private for profit companies. Such an approach enriches healthcare professionals and private companies at the expense of the public.

He added: "In light of this reality the meeting unanimously backed a call for the Labour Party to demand the immediate resignation of James Reilly from his position as Minister for Health. Not only has he failed to account for his decision to change the criteria for selection of sites for primary heath care centres, his commitment to privatisation and out-sourcing runs directly counter to the development of the public health model to which the Labour Party is pledged."

Thanks very much for posting that, and welcome.

It's good to see people prepared to resist privatisation. How will they go about doing that ?

[Jolly Red Giant]

Thanks very much for posting that, and welcome.

It's good to see people prepared to resist privatisation. How will they go about doing that ?

These people support the introduction of UHI - therefore they are not resisting privatisation, they are facilitating the implementation of privatisation.

[C. Flower]

These people support the introduction of UHI - therefore they are not resisting privatisation, they are facilitating the implementation of privatisation.

Do you have a report from the meeting ? What was said about health insurance ?

Imo, health, housing, education, basic means of living, should be viewed as rights, as our society has ample wealth creation capacity to provide them to everyone.

Are you saying that no Labour Party members believe that ? Or could be convinced to support it?

[Jolly Red Giant]

I specifically asked the question if this group supported the introduction of UHI - the answer was in the affirmative.

Any group the supports UHI is a supporter of privatisation. Furthermore, any group who supports such a policy supports a flat rate privatised taxation system (if that makes sense). For them health is not funded from a general progressive taxation system but is based on the purchase of insurance from an insurance company - a measure as regressive as Thatcher's poll tax.

[DCon]

Quinn is Minister for Education. He attended a Private school, and sent his kids to Private schools.

Can he take an unbiased view on State funding of private schools?

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton have all sent their children to private schools that receive State grants along with expensive tuition fees. On top of State funding, the country's 56 fee-paying schools take in more than €120m in tuition fees annually

Labour junior minister Alan Kelly, who last week publicly called for an end to the State grants for private schools.

He said: "The day of being able to give €96m-100m for private schools is something that is going to come to an end. I think this funding is a luxury, rather than a necessity."

Mr Kelly's view echoed a motion passed at the Labour Party conference in April, calling for "an end to the €90m public subsidy of private schools".

However, Mr Quinn, who is tasked with finding €77m of savings in the Department of Education and Skills, looked to distance himself from the junior minister's comments last Thursday during an interview on Dublin City University radio.

He said: "Well, he (Alan Kelly) expressed an opinion. He's not around the cabinet table. I am. I don't think it's helpful for anybody to hear the possibility of this and the possibility of that. . . and things are difficult enough for most people for that to be compounded with that kind of thinking aloud."

However, the Labour chief whip Emmet Stagg, who sent his children to State schools, said that it was "absolute nonsense" to argue that cutting the payment would add an extra burden on the taxpayer.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, he said: "These schools are elitist, purely because of their wealth.

"It's nonsense to suggest the rich will send their children to non-fee paying schools if the subsidy is ended. They'll keep themselves apart.

"I can't see Blackrock or Clongowes becoming public schools. In England, where they have public schools, which are big fee-paying private schools, not a red cent of taxpayer's money goes towards them but they maintain their private status.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...s-3258555.html