Economics By archanapremji 1947 Health Act 1947 1952 Extension of free hospital services 1953 Health Act 1953 1957 Voluntary Health Insurance Act 1957 1960 Irish Economic Growth 1961 Joined OECD 1970 The Health Act 1970 1971 New Private hospitals 1973 Joined European Union 1978 Establishment of Regional hospitals 1979 Universal eligibility for private insurance 1979 Universal entitlement for public hospitals 1980 Recession 1991 Universal entitlement of consultant treatment 2008 Economic and Fiscal crisis of 2008-2013 2009 Development of acute stroke services, HSE 2010 IMF & ECB Bailouts 2012 HSE Stroke Clinical care programme 2017 Sláintecare