WRH proposed downgrade - protest on Saturday the 23rd of Feb

7upfree · 13-11-2012 2:35pm

Hijpo wrote: »

Dont do anything lads, bury yer heads.

Yep. That is precisely what has Waterford where it if. Fcuk him and the horse he's gonna ride into town on. Protest away folks. It is the only way to make ourselves heard.

7upfree · 13-11-2012 2:36pm

Deise Tom wrote: »

Does this mean that John Deasy and Paudie Coffey and maybe even Ciara Conway will be waiting at the main door of the hospital (or some other door) to welcome him to Waterford and be telling him what a wonderful job he is doing.

They'll probably clap him in - just as they did with Hulk Hogan at the tower Hotel.

jonnyfingers · 13-11-2012 2:36pm

ryanf1 wrote: »

I know Paudie Coffey and Maurice Cummins have said they are out if it goes ahead and John Paul Phelan from KK has said he will have to reflect on his position if it happens.
I haven't heard anything from any FG TDs in Wexford either and im not aware of anything from deasy which is not surprising.

I think what really needs to happen is for these TDs to publicly document that somewhere to show they're serious. In my experience anything a politician says has no value.

However if they draft a letter or an email stating their intentions and submit it to the government or to the media, that then carries much more weight. If they are true in what they say it would also go along way to gaining support from their constituents and would almost certainly help towards winning more votes in subsequent elections.

7upfree · 13-11-2012 2:40pm

jonnyfingers wrote: »

I think what really needs to happen is for these TDs to publicly document that somewhere to show they're serious. In my experience anything a politician says has no value.

However if they draft a letter or an email stating their intentions and submit it to the government or to the media, that then carries much more weight. If they are true in what they say it would also go along way to gaining support from their constituents and would almost certainly help towards winning more votes in subsequent elections.

What people want to hear - should hear - from the TDs is that it is:

"absolutely appalling; a ludicrously stupid idea; and parish pump politics at their very worst".

Not one has come out and said this from the Government side. Too busy watching their own asses.

nice_very · 13-11-2012 6:54pm

while a peaceful protest is all well and good, and I was delighted to see so many people in Waterford on saturday, I would like to mention:

the Ballyhea against bondholders weekly peaceful protest every week for the last 80 odd has hardly ever been reported on by national media

in contrast to

shell to sea campaign, more confrontational = more media coverage

While I do not advocate rioting or violence, I do support a more confrontational type of protest, demanding politicians to declare which side they are on, not like the 2 fencesitters on saturday.

Sully · 13-11-2012 7:04pm

The 'Save Waterford' protest had much higher numbers at it than the small protest you refer to I think. Its also rare that Waterford has protest, especially in such large numbers. It was on a much more serious and sensitive issue, whereas the bondholders is a done deal and was on the cards for sometime.

There are two campaigns in Waterford at the moment and the second (Waterford Gives A Shirt) is just given a glancing look in the media but the main player is given the big coverage even though its been around that little bit longer.

Waterford has regular protests, one of the latest was for the Household Charge (they protest a lot). It had a bit of violence as they stormed the council meeting injuring staff and requiring Gardai to remove them. But it wasn't covered, as it wasn't that big of a deal.

Shell to Sea is a huge ongoing campaign with lots of Gardai attending and is always surrounded in controversy due to the behaviour of the protesters. There has been numerous court cases related to the ongoing protests, hunger strikes, complaints against Gardai and so on.

nice_very · 13-11-2012 7:13pm

while there was plenty of media coverage, locally and nationally, of the protest on saturday, and both groups were mentioned in the news and star, the CAWHT protest/storming of the city hall is mentioned, with photo on page 6, describing them as an angry mob. The council voted against the household charge in march due to the pressure of the protest outside.

I was chatting casually with someone today who said.. Politicians have to have a thick skin, the solution is finding the weapon that will pierce that skin.

Trotter · 13-11-2012 7:14pm

Paudie Coffey, Ciara Conway, John Halligan and JP Phelan spoke in the Dáil a few minutes ago. They did very well in general. Paudie Coffey was quite forceful, while JP Phelan was quite measured and definite. Ciara Conway did grand I suppose and John Halligan made some good points too.

The minister was represented by someone else in the Dáil and I can't remember his name.

Guarantees were given on things like trauma, cancer care etc but I didn't hear anything beyond that. There was no guarantee not to deconstruct the South East hospital grouping.

I did not see John Deasy in the Dáil, nor did he speak on the matter while I was watching.

Sully · 13-11-2012 7:15pm

nice_very wrote: »

while there was plenty of media coverage, locally and nationally, of the protest on saturday, and both groups were mentioned in the news and star, the CAWHT protest/storming of the city hall is mentioned, with photo on page 6, describing them as an angry mob. The council voted against the household charge in march due to the pressure of the protest outside.

I was chatting casually with someone today who said.. Politicians have to have a thick skin, the solution is finding the weapon that will pierce that skin.

That protest got very little coverage. Just a tiny piece and only because of what happened. There is no point protesting outside WCC Offices when its a government policy.

thomasm · 13-11-2012 7:15pm

nice_very wrote: »

while there was plenty of media coverage, locally and nationally, of the protest on saturday, and both groups were mentioned in the news and star, the CAWHT protest/storming of the city hall is mentioned, with photo on page 6, describing them as an angry mob. The council voted against the household charge in march due to the pressure of the protest outside.

I was chatting casually with someone today who said.. Politicians have to have a thick skin, the solution is finding the weapon that will pierce that skin.

The weapon is your vote

nice_very · 13-11-2012 7:20pm

thomasm wrote: »

The weapon is your vote

agree to a certain extent, look at what happenned in the last GE but when too many people like sully exist, there will never be real electoral change

Professey Chin · 13-11-2012 7:26pm

thomasm wrote: »

The weapon is your vote

Once every 7 years after they have over half a decade of not giving a sh!t, doing whatever they want and riding off without a care so someone can take their place and repeat. Not much of a weapon

Sully · 13-11-2012 7:30pm

nice_very wrote: »

agree to a certain extent, look at what happenned in the last GE but when too many people like sully exist, there will never be real electoral change

The country voted out Fianna Fail and replaced them with a large majority of FG/Lab TDs where both parties had different ideas, different plans and different approaches. It was both those parties that put the country back on track the last time they were put in. This time its looking positive but not the type of policies and reform I expected.

I was black and blue telling people that this was going to be messy as it will mean compromises, changes and a whole different platform due to it being a coalition. Plus, Labour were certainly going to avoid touching those on higher incomes and protect the public sector. While some decided to go out, in both parties, and offer the world on a plate for votes - the resounding message was that it was going to be very tough budget cuts and it will have a huge impact on people. But, a lot of people expected it to be easy.

Anyway, this has very little to do with the hospital and we are all wandering into a different discussion. Feel free to create one in the Politics forum as I think its very worthy of discussion.

The Great Chinholio wrote: »

Once every 7 years after they have over half a decade of not giving a sh!t, doing whatever they want and riding off without a care so someone can take their place and repeat. Not much of a weapon

It took Fianna Fail a long time to be booted out. People didn't use their weapon. Its also every five years, not seven.

Wanderer2010 · 13-11-2012 7:46pm

It genuinely amazes me how much faith people here have in other people. Bearing in mind that some people need a hobby and following a group of politicians with a set of beliefs and ideals seems to fill that void, do you not realise that FF, FG/Labour, Independents, SF etc etc, at the end of the day, they do not care a jot about you and are all for feathering their own nest with generous packages and pensions and expenses, and all for humoring their constituents. Thats the reality, they talk their way into politics promising the sun and the moon and most people fall for it hook line and sinker. Hate to be blunt but they couldnt care less about education, hospitals, roads etc, its all about power and status and the fine salary of course. Always was and always will be.

The people who control the country are the bankers and the civil servants and the consultants, they are the cogs moving the big wheel, the faceless power behind the country. The likes of Conway, Coffey and Deasy etc must be laughing at the effect they have on people here who are too blind to see the real truth behind the veil...

Teebor15 · 13-11-2012 8:31pm

Its also rare that Waterford has protest

Waterford has regular protests

In the same post!!

Have you ever ran for the Dail yourself Sully?..you would fit right in!!

Sully · 13-11-2012 8:38pm

Teebor15 wrote: »

In the same post!!

Have you ever ran for the Dail yourself Sully?..you would fit right in!!

Lol sorry, poorly phrased. We don't have regular large scale protests but there are often small protests with a handful of people, usually socialists.

Max Powers · 14-11-2012 1:13pm

The main man from WRH i have heard talking about downgrading etc has said that he would prefer if there were no protest there for reillys visit. If he is saying it, i would tend to agree with him.

7upfree · 14-11-2012 2:04pm

thomasm wrote: »

The weapon is your vote

When it will be too late. The time is NOW.

7upfree · 14-11-2012 2:07pm

Sully wrote: »

This time its looking positive but not the type of policies and reform I expected.

How so? By appeasing unsecured bondholders? Discriminating against certain cities? By downgrading hospitals in what they perceive as the least problematical sphere of influence? Yep, it's looking positive alright.........

Sully wrote: »

Anyway, this has very little to do with the hospital

It has EVERYTHING to do with the hospital.:rolleyes:

7upfree · 14-11-2012 2:08pm

Max Powers wrote: »

The main man from WRH i have heard talking about downgrading etc has said that he would prefer if there were no protest there for reillys visit. If he is saying it, i would tend to agree with him.

Have to disagree Max. We have been too quiet for far too long. Now is the moment....

nkay1985 · 14-11-2012 2:12pm

Max Powers wrote: »

The main man from WRH i have heard talking about downgrading etc has said that he would prefer if there were no protest there for reillys visit. If he is saying it, i would tend to agree with him.

I've seen a few people on Facebook say this. Did he give any reasoning behind this line of thought?

Deisetrek · 14-11-2012 4:23pm

Max Powers wrote: »

The main man from WRH i have heard talking about downgrading etc has said that he would prefer if there were no protest there for reillys visit. If he is saying it, i would tend to agree with him.

I've seen that myself , however I don't know if I agree with Rob Landers on this one , I think we should drive it home to Reilly . We are not in my opinion dealing with an honourable man here . He's been embroiled in controversy the last few months with his conflict of interests in a nursing home in which he was involved and more recently managed to get Swords and Balbriggan onto a list of primary care centres when they didn't make the criteria on an original list , purely and simply because they were in his own constituency . I think this fella is as much a "stroker" as any of the Fianna Fail mafia and needs a good rattle .
The soundings on Billy Mc Carthy this morning were somewhat promising and I have to give credit to the 4 local TD's who appear now to be after getting the message , we will not lie down . but I'd have reservations that they're still going to dismantle the South East grouping. Reading between the lines we might retain services but our autonomy within the HSE will disappear with Cork possibly controlling Waterford's budget . That would be a disaster and they could whittle away our services over a period of time when the heat generated by the protests has waned . The cynic in me tells me we should give him a "welcome to a pissed off city " at the entrance .........

Not The Real Scarecrow · 14-11-2012 5:23pm

.....all dressed as werewolves.

I'd imagine he'd look like this in the back seat of his tinted monstermobile
#

Jason Todd · 14-11-2012 6:09pm

I think there should be a silent protest at the hospital on Friday. No, seriously, hear me out!

Imagine how creepy it would be for him to roll into the hospital with hundreds of people lining the streets / entrance and not one person saying anything, just staring at him. I'd be in favour of a slight disruption, i.e.: block his entrance momentarily (not long enough for the Gardai to be involved) and then let him pass through all the time totally silent. It's a serious subject at the end of the day and people throwing eggs etc have no place there. Then when he's getting his tour of the hospital etc people can start placard waving and chanting and keep it up as he leaves the hospital.

The silence of sorts really packs a punch imo. The problem being, the co-ordination for something like that would be virtually impossible I would think.

Dunmoreroader · 14-11-2012 6:16pm

Phil Hogan being interviewed re WRH/ St. Luke's on KCLR this morning;
http://kclr96fm.com/the-sue-nunn-show/minister-phil-hogan-st-lukes-hospital-and-household-charge-letters/

7upfree · 14-11-2012 6:44pm

Dunmoreroader wrote: »

Phil Hogan being interviewed re WRH/ St. Luke's on KCLR this morning;
http://kclr96fm.com/the-sue-nunn-show/minister-phil-hogan-st-lukes-hospital-and-household-charge-letters/

No surprises there. Typical anti-Waterford bias. Of course the hacks will tell us it's all good........

"Ill-founded" "fears" blah blah.......

Deisetrek · 14-11-2012 7:18pm

Jason Todd wrote: »

I think there should be a silent protest at the hospital on Friday. No, seriously, hear me out!

Imagine how creepy it would be for him to roll into the hospital with hundreds of people lining the streets / entrance and not one person saying anything, just staring at him. I'd be in favour of a slight disruption, i.e.: block his entrance momentarily (not long enough for the Gardai to be involved) and then let him pass through all the time totally silent. It's a serious subject at the end of the day and people throwing eggs etc have no place there. Then when he's getting his tour of the hospital etc people can start placard waving and chanting and keep it up as he leaves the hospital.

The silence of sorts really packs a punch imo. The problem being, the co-ordination for something like that would be virtually impossible I would think.

Yep agree with that type of protest just complete silence as he passes . Would be a disaster and bad PR if we had headaballs diving on windscreens like a few years ago outside the WIT . It was a great Mahatma Gandhi tactic!

Psychedelic · 14-11-2012 7:46pm

Rob Landers said the reason the protest last Saturday was successful was because it was so dignified. I think he doesn't want a protest this Friday is because he thinks it will be undignified, and I would agree with that. He also said Minister Reilly should be given a chance to read the report and take in all the feedback from the consultants and politicians, which I think is fair enough. The fact that the Save Waterford people don't want to protest either is telling.

I like the idea of a completely silent protest, just showing the Minister we're there, but sadly I don't think that's going to happen. Some people are too hyped up and someone is bound to take it too far, and try to block the Minister's car, throw eggs/blood at him or some other stunt like that, or even just verbal abuse - none of that will help our cause, if anything it will damage the good work done so far.

7upfree · 14-11-2012 7:50pm

Psychedelic wrote: »

Rob Landers said the reason the protest last Saturday was successful was because it was so dignified. I think he doesn't want a protest this Friday is because he thinks it will be undignified, and I would agree with that. He also said Minister Reilly should be given a chance to read the report and take in all the feedback from the consultants and politicians, which I think is fair enough. The fact that the Save Waterford people don't want to protest either is telling.

I have no problem supporting Save Waterford - we were there on Saturday - but that does not give them the right to dictate things. They are not an umbrella group. The time for dignity regarding Waterford City is long past - given our current treatment.

Psychedelic wrote: »

I like the idea of a completely silent protest sounds okay in theory, just showing the Minister we're there, but sadly I don't think that's going to happen. Some people are too hyped up and someone is bound to take it too far, and try to block the Minister's car, throw eggs/blood at him or some other stunt like that, or even just verbal abuse - none of that will help our cause, if anything it will damage the good work done so far.

That is a risk we will have to take unfortunately. It is time to stand up and be counted. I am more than surprised at Save Waterford, given the outpouring of support for their march on Saturday last.

7upfree · 14-11-2012 7:50pm

Deisetrek wrote: »

Yep agree with that type of protest just complete silence as he passes . Would be a disaster and bad PR if we had headaballs diving on windscreens like a few years ago outside the WIT . It was a great Mahatma Gandhi tactic!

I would be 100% in favour of this.

WRH proposed downgrade - protest on Saturday the 23rd of Feb

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