Unhealthy State: Anatomy of a Sick Society

With its genesis in a series of articles entitled “An Unhealthy State” which ran in The Irish Times over five days in October 2000, this polemical and controversial book is is a major study of health care in Ireland and describes a system beset by turbulent political divisions. Analysing contemporary health care and drawing on the experiences of other countries, the award-winning journalist explores the potential for reform and the reluctance to pursue it. Unhealthy State is a shocking indictment of a service in crisis.

Praise for Unhealthy State:

'A hugely impressive and highly comprehensive account of how we reached the state we are in' Martin Wall, Sunday Tribune

'Wren tells her horror story with great verve...Agnostic as to modes of financing the system...[she] feels the present system doesn't work, is irrational, unfair and bad value for money' Prof. Tom Garvin, The Irish Times

'Wren's book is rich in historical detail and for this alone it is a tapestry worthy of admiration...[she] has a vision that many of us would like to share' Dr Maurice Gueret, Sunday Independent

'In her excellent book, Unhealthy State, Maev-Ann Wren makes the point better than I can: the state of health care is a metaphor for the condition of this society' Liz McManus, TD, debate in Dáil Éireann

'Irish health service watchers have been waiting years for this book to be written. And when it arrived on the shelves they weren't disappointed...a mixture of politics, critique, global analysis and impressive statistics...as shocking as any fiction' Claire O'Sullivan, Evening Echo

'Authoritative but accessible, analytical but angry, she explains as no one has done before how we got into this mess of gross inequality and how we could get out of it. This book will set the agenda for the next decade on an issue that affects every family in Ireland...This brilliant book is essential reading for any concerned citizen' Fintan O'Toole

If you liked this book, we recommend How Ireland Cares and Irish Apartheid: Healthcare Inequality in Ireland.