Mary Harney - has her time come ?

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I agree, I dread a world where people have to take responsibility for their actions, or in this case, their inaction, and the inaction of those they are responsible for.

After all, it's only women dying of cancer, it's not like it's a serious issue or anything.

Yeah, you're dead right, I just missed the thread and media coverage about all the other people involved resigning. You couldn't post a link to it for me could you?

I too think that MH isn't the problem. I think she may be one of the few ministers in the current government who isn't simply trying to keep her head down and not rock the boat and might actually be trying to do something constructive.

If the government were like a company/business she would be held account for her departments ineptitude and made stand down. When it comes to these most basic of services heads have to roll.

Of course we're cursed with bury your heads in the sand political arrogance from the top down.

I voted 'yes' for the reason that I think _ANYONE_ in the health service from top management down should go over this debacle that we refer to as a service. Let's at least start with an obese arrogant politician who's party has sweet **** all mandate to be in charge of this portfolio in the first place.

And once we're finished with her, get someone in willing to do the job and make heads roll. But, here's the crux 'heads in the sand political arrogance' wins out all the time...

gotta love democracy!

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

What a cop out, Harney supposedly runs the health services in Ireland, but everytime there's a **** up she shrugs her shoulders and says she wasn't told about it. maybe they all should resign, but Harney going would be a god first step.

Not a cop out. If you want to talk about personal responsibility then you have to make everyone personally responsible not just those in the public eye.

Start with Harney and it's a big enough prize that no further heads will roll.

Lol and people wonder why the majority of ministers who get the health portfolio just try and keep their head down. "Problem with health, sure just sack the minister", ad infinitum.

The system is broken. No amount of scapegoating is going to fix it. I for one would rather someone in the post who actually volunteered for it and wants to bring reform, rather than another ff muppet who'll be too busy worrying about his own political career to institute any meaningful change.

Listen to this... the only way anything meaningfull will happen in the health service is if the Govt. adopt an all party stance and cut out the politicking.

Agreed! But do you honestly believe that Harney and Fianna Fail would like an 'all party stance' to resolve the issues with the health service?

Not a chance, that speech was politricks at it's best (and worst)...

colliegG wrote: »

The whole point of her resigning is that she would have an opportunity to show accountability for what occured while she was in charge.

What, like ireland moving from 2nd last to middle of the pack in the european health consumer index?
How about reduced waiting times across the majority of departments?
How about the formation of the HSE, an essential step in pushing forward the centers of excellence plan which will prevent this sort of scare happening again?

Make no mistake, this vote has very little to do with improving the health service. It's simply a great opportunity for the opposition to attack the government. I can guarantee you if any one of the was offered the health portfolio they wouldn't take it.

You should probably add a new choice -

"No - it's all the civil servants and the unions fault"

She is trying to improve the system and the civil service and unions are fighting her at every turn

Hagar wrote: »

If Minister Harney remains in the job, as she will, people will continue to lie on trollies in open corridors, like something from the Third World. Is it any wonder MRSA is rampant in our hospitals.

I think the poll results are fairly clear. Feel free to put up your own "biased" poll and see if you get a different result.

There has been a lot of focus over the last few weeks in relation to the Portlaoise controversy and rightly so. However having spent last weekend watching my mother sleeping on a trolley in a cold,busy corridor in the Cork University Hospital it really brought this health crisis home to me. It seems to me that people and the media especially have forgotten that this health system is not working across the board. To quote Ms Harney

"Seanad Éireann - Volume 180 - 21 April, 2005

Accident and Emergency Services: Statements.


Ms Harney Ms Harney

Ms Harney: I am delighted to be in the Seanad to discuss accident and emergency services but first I wish to apologise for being late. I was under the impression I was due here five minutes or so later.


What is happening at our accident and emergency departments throughout the country is not acceptable to me or the Government."

April 2005 guys. Enough said. Harney "GET THE F**K OUT". On that score why stop there. Bertie "GET THE F**K OUT".
:mad:

Not a huge fan of the Walrus...but i dont think its entirely her fault that the health system is in s.h.i.t.e........ i think its the system...so much bureaucracy, red tape, no accountabillty....and i think its in such a bad way that its gonna be hard to change the system....and thats why they havnt....someday they will listen to the doctors and nurses.

watna wrote: »

I think she should resign, but she won't. I also think it's ridiculous that Fianna Fail TDs that vote against her get kicked out of the party. How is that democratic? If that's the way voting in the Dail works then they'll never get rid of inept ministers. The minister is always going to be from tha prty with the majority, so you can never get rid of them id they do a bad job, unless Bertie decides that that's the way it is.

That's possibly the most retarded thing i've ever heard. Of course they'd get kicked out of the party...that's how political parties work. Yes, the minister is always going to be in the majority party/coillition...that's called a government.

I'm not a fan of Harney, but she's actually done quite well with the health sector. People seem to blame he personally for the breat cancer mistakes...in fairness it's not her job to maintenace the machines, or to read the results.