The Green Party today accused the Government of abandoning their promised reforms, as they announced the delay of three policies.

 

Speaking earlier, Leader of the Green Party Eamon Ryan said: “Today we learned that the Government has given up on plans for Universal Health Insurance, caved in to vested interests in the Legal Services Bill and shelved any reform of schools admission policy.  Having failed to deliver their much heralded 'democratic revolution' they are now giving up on the big policy reforms that they also promised.

 

“Minister Leo Varadkar had the reputation of being a straight talking politician whose no nonsense approach would surely get things done. Unfortunately his interview on Morning Ireland this morning left everyone clueless as to what the Government is doing to reform of the health care system.

 

“Today was also unique for the fact that a lot of people will be regretting that Alan Shatter is no longer Minister for Justice. The scale of capitulation by Minister Francis Fitzgerald can be measured by the fact that her memo to Government on the Legal Services Bill had to be accompanied by a note from the consumer and competition watchdog reminding everyone that it caved in to vested interests in the Bar and Law Society. When it comes to political passing of the buck, it didn't just rain this morning - it absolutely poured down from every direction.

 

Deputy Leader of the Green Party and Spokesperson for Education, Councillor Catherine Martin said: “The acceptance by Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan this morning that the issue of schools admission policy won’t be dealt by this Government will be a huge disappointment to parents. 

 

"The Government are passing an Admissions to Schools Bill that will continue to allow for discrimination on the basis of religion, because altering the Equal Status Act, which legitimises this discrimination, wasn’t discussed in the Programme for Government. Surely implementing an Admissions to Schools Bill goes hand in hand with amending the Equal Status Act? What’s the point otherwise? The Minister’s double-speak will be of little consolation to parents struggling to find school places for their children next year.”