Health campaigners have criticised the Finance Minister Simon Hamilton who they claim “should be announcing more funding to end the crisis in our health service, not threatening us with £68 million worth of more cuts” .
Health campaigner Paddy Meehan questioned “why the Finance Minister is threatening more cuts to our health service when cuts have already contributed to the deaths of at least sixteen people in recent years.
“We need cuts to be reversed not accelerated if we want to stop preventable deaths in our hospitals.
“Threatening more cuts shows how little understanding these politicians have of the chaos in our A&E’s. Simon Hamilton’s threat must be withdrawn immediately.
Welfare Reform is an attack on the poor
“Cuts in the social safety net won’t re-open the City Hospital A&E, it won’t provide the 400 emergency beds needed and it won’t recruit the staff needed. Attempts to blame people who rely on benefits to make ends meet for the crisis in our health service is sickening.
“The Stormont Executive is to blame for the cuts in our health service, not workers or the unemployed. There are only 2,009 available jobs for 57,800 claimants – the jobs don’t exist and so-called welfare reform is simply an attempt to make the poorest in society to pay while the wealthiest enjoy tax cuts.
Our local politicians have shown yet again that they care more about lining their own pockets than fighting for the working-class people they are meant to represent. They have just put through a package giving them an 11% pay rise – almost £5,000 a year ! – bringing their salary to £48,000. Chairs of committees will get £60,000, Ministers £86,000 and the First and Deputy First Ministers get £120,000!