If I see my name in the stubbs gazette again, I’ll put your head through the wall..

Pure Class. That is exactly who is!

Or the faithful Denis O’Brien should clear his debt. After all, Denis O’Brien made over 2,400 million euro off the sale of ESAT digiphone, within 2 years of a FFG minister selling it to him for less than 200 million.
Denis O’Brien owes FFG big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esat_Digifone_licence_controversy

http://evertb.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-moriarty-tribunal-or-how-its-was-all-the-governments-fault/

Now, if Denis O’Brien cant find it in his heart to support FFG Minister Reilly, then how is Enda ever going to invite FFGs best friend Denis to any more NYSE events etc.
Fairs fair Denis, what is an extra 2 million to you. You bought and own most of the media in Ireland. Your media are all FFG/Labour leaning, as you never forget your friends after they have helped you to over 2 billion euro…. Right?

Sorry, Denis sold Esat Digifone 4 years after buying it …. not 2 years…. but yes he did make 2,000,000,000.00 profit off the sale. He bought it for a pittance from the FFg/Labour coalition.
He has continued to pile money into FFG ever since…. after all, what sort of man wouldnt help the party that helped him to 2,000,0000,000.00 of our money.

Cal,
How does this relate to this story? I also wonder if you met Mr O’Brien in the flesh would you be as gobby??

Cal, for fairness sake, he only personally made 220m as the majority of the sale cash went to other investors etc.

Why Declan? Do you know something about him that should scare me? Go on, tell us…
If you want to know how i relate Denis O’Brien to any FFG minister, then let me help you remember…
Back in 1995, the Irish Government (Under FFG/Labour) offered a tender for Irelands second mobile license. It wasn’t the highest bid that won, not by a long shot… it was FFGs largest contributor that won (Denis O’Brien)

Now, let me put all this in perspective for you…
When Enda Kenny was asked a direct and very relevant question yesterday in the Dail about how appropriate it was, to have a Health Minister who has been advocating increased private health care and clinics, found out to have a very significant investment in a private healthcare clinic, our great leader and debater, Enda Kenny resorted to personal attacks on the person who posed the question. He did not answer the question.

Now, put all this together, and you will see that the culture of looking after eachother in the Dail is still alive and well. Enda Kenny standing at the NYSE a couple of months ago, with the same guy who was found by Moriarty to have been the largest party funder, the same guy, who owns the Independent, Sunday Indo, TV3, Today FM, Newstalk etc etc…
Labours Minsister for communications doesn’t want to restrict one person owning all the media in Ireland. Denis ensures that most of the time FFG/Labour get an easy ride. He ensures that when the likes of Joe Higgins/Clare Daly/SF raise issues in the Dail, that his attack dogs attack them in the media.
So, my point is that this whole story relating to our current Minister for Health will be put to bed very quickly, either by a direct bailout by Mr O’Brien, or by his control of the media in Ireland, to make the story disappear.

@Cal1: Are you sure he made two billion euro? Seems a bit much…

As usual Cal your essay long comment says nothing of worth.
Dennis O’Brien has nothing to do with this piece and you bring it in…
How much time a day do you spend on here writing Cal? Is it your fulltime job by any chance?

Only people who did nothing are without a history. A government made up of inexperienced ideologues and theorists is the alternative to doers. We can’t have it both ways.

I don’t think there is an issue here at all with regard to that bit.

It is very desirable that the Minister for Health be a doctor or someone with extensive knowledge of health matters and the administration therein. It is hardly surprising that such a person would be involved in a commercial health enterprise. There are loads of such enterprises that a similar conflict of interest accusation could be levelled – even being a Doctor with a private practice would fall into this. Ditto being a lawyer and the Minister for Justice. I think we have to accept that people with experience in certain sectors (which is what we want from ministers) may have interests in the sectors that they are tasked with administrating. Obviously, a watchful eye will have to be kept.

To me there are two issue here:
1. When will the High Court order be dealt with?
2. Why can a Minister have instant access to the Dail to address a personal matter when Mick Wallace had to go through so many hoops?

So closing state nursing homes when you have a vested interest in private nursing homes is not an issue?

The wagons are circling.

Donal honestly you don’t see the conflict of interest as the poster above mentioned?He is the minister at present who is closing public nursing home beds i can give you example if you like,but yet has subatantial holdings in private nursing homes.You really have to delude yourself to see no conflict here.

Right, so you are saying that anyone who has an interest in private nursing homes can’t be Minister for Health?

What about pharmacies?

What about a practice that has lots of GMS patients?

What about a private hospital?

What about having shares in Glaxo?

Does having an interest in any of these things also exclude someone from being Minister for Health?

If it doesn’t, you are being inconsistent and confusing your objection to the closure of state nursing homes with something else.

If it does, that’s bloody stupid.

Donal deal with my comment,forget the desire to confuse please.It is clear to any other than a committed FG follower that there is a clear conflict of interest again you refuse to acknowlegde so pointless addressing any other comment to you.Have a good day,i’m sure you’ll have a busy day defending the indefensiveable.

Donal.
I agree that it is appropriate that a Minister for Justice be a qualified legal practitioner or indeed that the Minister for Health be a qualified medical doctor though I fail to see how they could continue in private practice while effectively carrying out their government roles.
What is objectionable in James Reilly’s case is that he is a potential bankrupt while holding senior public office through his efforts to personally profit (speculate) in one of the most controversial sectors of health care where such efforts could be construed to conflict with his position. He should be sacked…

Donal, whether purposely or not, you are missing the point. Public representatives are not supposed to hold assets that could create a conflict of interest with their current remit.

To take your first example, If the minister for health owned a pharmacy and increased the prescription charge that would be ok, as the extra revenue generated goes to the state. If, however, he increased the subsidy paid to pharmacies for, say, handling and distributing methadone, then he would be in trouble as he has taken a decision as a public representative that he could profit from.

Examples aside, James Reilly, as minister for health, has closed public nursing homes while himself being a stakeholder in a private nursing home. Big alarm bells and a serious conflict of interest.

Norman – I dealt with your comment. You didn’t deal with mine, at all.

Rules for conflict of interest much be general and not made up on a case by case basis – as I pointed out in my opening comment – which you ignored. That fact that it is nursing home this time is not the point.

For the quadrillionth time – I am not a FG supporter. I just want the Government to be able to go about it’s business with the right people, no matter who is in power. Getting the right people means that there will be many instances where the minister responsible makes decisions that may effect something in which they have an interest – especially in health.

John – there is no such thing as a ‘potential bankrupt’ – one is either bankrupt or one isn’t – if he doesn’t pay back the debt and goes bankrupt, then of course he will have to resign.

You are all confusing your natural objection with the closure of public nursing homes with something else – or at least it is 80% of your anger regarding this issue.

I understand your blinkered loyalty to FFg Donal but maybe you have them on too tight.

A minister for health having a private investment in nursing homes is not criminal or anyway sinister, having a minister for health who closes state nursing homes while investing millions of his own money into private nursing homes or cartels who operate private nursing home is.

Oops! I forgot to add that for a partner in these unacceptable practices he chose Ms Ann Devitt who ‘entirely inappropriately’ accepted a 20,000euro payment from Rayband Ltd. according to The Mahon Tribunal and subsequently ‘resigned’ from FG. Delightful people!

Donal.
The controversial aspect of nursing home care I referred to was not alone by reference to the closure of state nursing homes while the minister in charge potentially profited from private health care. In addition I was also considering the corruption, mismanagement and mistreatment of patients that seems to predominately feature in this sector of health care in the pursuit of profit. Not an aspect of health care I would be pleased to have a Minister for Health dabbling in.

In any case, the fact that Reilly has interests in the private nursing home sector is old news.

The only real news here is the Stubbs element.

Neither did Mary Harney, I’m sensing a trend.

What happens if as is being speculated that the debt is paid in full?? Do people think he should resign then?

Maybe he should get “defaulter” tattooed across his forehead.

Declan if the debt had has been paid in full then he would not be appearing in Stubbs. From my understanding the court order was made in Feburary it is now July. Time for him to do the decent thing and resign. I know that will not happen but I live in hope.

Declan, you and the rest of the govt lovers were very quick to jump on a certain developer for non payment of outstanding vat? Is there really much of a difference here?

If he pays he pays… end of story. Thats the way i see it..

Declan from my understanding he could have paid his “share” there is no reason why he had to wait for the others involved to agree. This was a court order that he ignored not some ‘friendly’ request that when he had a few minutes free to bung a few bob in the direction of those who he owed the money to. The only way he can “pay” now is by resigning as a minister and deputy of FG and go sit on the back benches. A senior government minister appearing as a defaulter in Stubbs ffs!! Do we have any level of standards for those in public office?

No Declan Cotter…just NO.

Saying that if he pays it will be the end of the story is just another fine example of the FFG circus circling the wagons to protect their own.

Diarmaid,Enda operates on two words,Deflect and Berate.

haha well done for sharing your experience Mark.

“bell enda” nearly spewed my coffee lol

Reilly, being his only Dublin based ally apparently, may go some way to explaining his stance. Self preservation number one priority as always.