Energy allowance not enough – Jean Pierre Farrugia

Nationalist MP Jean Pierre Farrugia this evening questioned the suitability of the one-off energy allowance for families with children insisting that €130 for a family of four was not enough.

Referring to Don Luigi Sturzo, the founder of Italian Christian Democracy, Dr Farrugia stressed the importance of the PN’s Christian Democratic roots and asked whether they were as strong as they should be.

The MP was speaking at the PN general council, which started this evening and ends on Sunday.

He also questioned whether the extra €3 million for the inclusion of new medicines was enough given that government would continue to finance medicines for those who could afford them.

Dr Farrugia welcomed the dedicated investment of €4 million to address waiting lists but he also had a word of caution.

“As long as we are going to use the services of private hospitals to address the matter would it not have been better to give incentives to those with a health insurance to use private hospitals and thus reduce the stress on waiting lists for public hospitals?” he asked.

Dr Farrugia said the party had to defend its Christian identity but it had to internally debate the various ethically sensitive issues that required political answers.

“Change has to happen for the common good. We should leave no one behind us,” he urged Lawrence Gonzi.