{"id":23346,"date":"2021-10-03T11:17:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-03T15:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23346"},"modified":"2021-10-04T09:19:20","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:19:20","slug":"government-still-committed-to-slaintecare-says-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23346","title":{"rendered":"Government Still Committed To Sl\u00e1intecare Says Minister"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue (PA Archive\/PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government remains committed to Sl\u00e1intecare, a Cabinet Minister has insisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions have been asked about the future of the beleaguered initiative aimed at introducing universal healthcare in Ireland after it was hit with a third high-profile resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastroenterologist Professor Anthony O\u2019Connor confirmed he had left the Sl\u00e1intecare Implementation Advisory Council (SIAC) on Thursday, following in the footsteps of chairman Dr Tom Keane and executive director Laura Magahy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a post on Twitter, Prof O\u2019Connor said he would not be commenting publicly on the reasons for his departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His resignation came a day after he, along with other members of SIAC, attended a meeting with HSE chief executive Paul Reid and secretary general at the Department of Health Robert Watt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is understood that Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is planning to create a new Sl\u00e1intecare group that will advise the Department of Health on regional health areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project\u2019s implementation advisory council is expected to be discontinued in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said on Sunday the Government is fully behind the Sl\u00e1intecare project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government is absolutely committed to Sl\u00e1intecare and implementing universal healthcare,\u201d he told RT\u00c9 radio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSl\u00e1intecare is the roadmap for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Donegal TD added: \u201cI know Minister Donnelly also will have further announcements post-Budget in how we move that forward and achieve that ambition, and obviously the objective of achieving universal single tier of health and social care system is central to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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