Top Issue 1-2024

21 October 2004 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Harney a healthy choice?

'Plan ahead - bring your own bed.' This was the message on one placard wielded by a protestor outside the seat of the Dublin government, Leinster House, on Tuesday. Over 100 people, including relatives of patients who have been left on trolleys in Dublin's hospitals, and overstretched, overworked nurses, gathered to vent their frustration at the government over the beds crisis, which has been growing for the last few weeks.

The subject matter of the crisis is not new - this has been simmering for the last few years as the numbers of people admitted to hospitals and left on trolleys and in chairs have grown rapidly - but the anger, in Dublin city particularly, has become palpable in the last two weeks.

Much of this can be attributed to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's decision to appoint Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney as the new Minister for Health.

Mícheál Martin did not do a good job as the last health minister. He got carried away on a crusade against smoking and never dealt with the real issues that were cropping up in his portfolio, like the serious lack of health care workers, beds, hospital equipment and medical cards, not to mention ward closures and the unworkable Hanly Report.

But he at least acted as though he was concerned about the health of the nation.

Mary Harney is no Florence Nightingale. Her party has actively sought to increase the gap between the rich and the poor in our society. This woman made her mark on her last portfolio, that of Trade, Enterprise and Employment, by cutting community employment schemes that helped the most vulnerable in our society get their feet on the employment ladder. Her colleague, Justice Minister Michael McDowell, has asserted his belief that inequality is good for society and Mary never murmured a word of dissent.

Upon receipt of her portfolio she made remarks about the Irish people not getting value from a health service that was overfunded. Note the word - overfunded.

The majority of the population agree - you would have to be off your trolley to let her near your trolley in any hospital corridor.

The only thing her appointment has achieved is to remind us further of the absolute incapability of this government to run this country.

Members of the free-market driven PDs should be relegated to the deepest recesses of the back benches, not inflicted on the public in critical departments such as Health and Justice.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland