Radio listeners angry over snooker sponsorship
ANGRY health patients have continued to criticise the Department of Health’s decision to provide £600,000 worth of sponsorship to Ireland’s top snooker competition.
Medical card holders yesterday argued strongly that the money would have been better spent on helping to reduce lengthy hospital waiting lists.
Callers to RTE´ Radio 1’s Liveline yesterday complained about the decision of Health Minister, Mícheál Martin, to have his department’s Health Promotion Unit and the Office of Tobacco Control replace cigarette firm, Benson & Hedges as the official sponsor of this year’s Irish Masters snooker tournament.
The deal is worth an annual sum of £200,000 to the organisers of the competition over the next three years.
Speaking on the programme, Mr Martin defended the decision by explaining that the sponsorship would be used to promote the Government’s anti smoking policy. He also admitted he was concerned that the recently introduced ban on all forms of advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products would not adversely affect the running of the popular event.
Responding to criticism over the allocation of money in his department’s budget, Mr Martin pointed out that he had secured an extra £1 billion funding for the health services this year.
“It is wrong to suggest that this £200,000 per annum has any connection whatsoever with waiting lists,” said the minister.
One Liveline caller, Anna, claimed her son had to wait more than 10 months to get an appointment with an ear specialist while her husband received similar treatment within a fortnight after opting to pay privately. She described Mr Martin’s sponsorship decision as “absolutely disgusting.”
“All this money should be used on the health services. Why should people suffer to have a nice snooker show on television,” added Anne.
Another listener, Mary, said her husband had a lengthy wait for an MRI scan due to a shortage of medical staff. “The money should be used to get nurses into older hospitals,” she remarked.
Several other callers demanded that a similar ban on sponsorship by alcohol manufacturers should also be introduced.
Meanwhile, Norma Cronin of the Irish Cancer Society, welcomed the sponsorship as a positive tool to promote the dangers of smoking. The ICS hopes the anti tobacco publicity will help to reduce the estimated 6,500 deaths caused by smoking each year.
“We believe it will have a very good impact as it will reach a young target audience. Sponsorship has been proven to be highly influential,” said Ms Cronin.
She said the size of the sponsorship was justified as the ICS believed its long term benefit would reduce waiting lists in the future.
© Irish Examiner, 2000