A pitch perfect start to the health ministry

My anaylsis on Leo’s first media outings in the Irish Independent from 8 August 2014

The medical card battle may be won but the war for free GP care for all is still being fought

See below for my analysis from the Irish Independent on 23 June 2014. 

All is changed on the contentious issue of medical cards

Enda Kenny promised to fix the “medical card mess”, while Minister James Reilly floated the idea of a third tier to medical card access. Yesterday’s announcement by Junior Minister Alex White means they might both deliver on these significant promises. My analysis from the Irish Independent on significant shift in policy on medical cards from Irish Independent on 30 May 2014.

White must show some political savvy in lion’s den after holding gun to GPs’ heads

Here is my analysis from Irish Independent on 26 April 2014 on Alex White and free GP care

Stand-off on free GP care

Doctors move to ensure the Minister’s primary care ‘Trojan horse’ falls at the first fence, see here my column from the Medical Independent from 6 March 2014

James Reilly – a year as health minister

So it’s just one year since James Reilly took up the mantle as health minister. What did he promise us and how is he doing?

Minister Reilly to lift restrictions on GPs who can treat medical card holders

On 14 September, Minister James Reilly announced that he had got Cabinet approval to lift restrictions on GPs treating patients with medical cards. So will this make it easier for people to access GPs and drive down high costs of GP visits?

Perverse perks riddle the health service

Irish Daily Mail op ed sept 2011