Stay! as he has ability that is hard to find where Shorthal has not.

Blathin,
Think you make a valid point but don’t expect any claps on the back here. For me Dr O’Reilly is genuinelly trying to make changes in a most difficult time. The level of leaks etc.,. suggest to me that he is upsetting some fat cats in the HSE….. Shorthal is offering nothinh apart from pandering to the media and trying to make herself look like some kind of saint…. In truth I think O’Reilly might actually achieve something tangiable if left alone while I don’t believe Shorthall would achive damm all….All talk and no bluster….
Maybe if the media lose the hard on they have for O’Reilly he might actually get to do some work….Im starting to think that the media dont want things to improve at all!!! Certainly not this site…

The Minister is a temporary office, and is virtually inconsequential to the real determinants of improving the health system, the excessive public pay and complete lack of accountability imposed on any one employed directly in the HSE or Dept of Health is one of the major determinants, an insolvent country has to cut billions from a budget but cannot touch 70% of it which goes on pay, as long as that fact remains true, the occupier of the ministerial office is fairly irrelevant. If a person was in that office with the sole objective of improving the Health Service for the Irish Citizens they would acknowledge the vested interests standing in the way and work towards taking them on, when they cut health services to the most vulnerable but maintain workers bonuses for replacing a print cartridge, the need for dealing with biggest obstacle to improvements in health care should be absurdly obvious.

Like the Teachers, consultants were happy to accept a pay cut on behalf of future members (whom they have no mandate to represent) so that they can maintain the excessive pay increases they were given when a now insolvent State was receiving unprecedented revenues from an artificial property boom. The charade of this being some sort of compromise is accepted by the mainstream media, and it could only happen in Ireland, Consultants land Teachers lost nothing but ensured that unrepresented future members would pay a price for it, these people clearly have no shame but in reality the fact is they did that and in the long run it is a matter of record and reveals all about the character of these people and their regard for the good of this Country.

Declan Cotter, you are spot on. Most others are easily fooled and mislead by their own anger, inept journalism, lack of skill and judgement etc.

O’Relily is up against a cabal of powerful civil servants. He has the skills, qualifications and determined doggedness to get the job done whereas Shorthal is just nannying.

Blathin this would be the same person who was listed in Stubbs Gazette as a defaulter? The man that BoI have registered a charge against on lands he owns in Dublin? The mancannot even manage his own business affairs but apparently has the “skills and qualifications” to manage the Health service. Really??

Can you point to any “achievements” he has had in the 18 months he has been in power? Not the free GP service. Not the targeting of generic medicines to reduce costs. What exactly has he done?

Kerry
He has closed down A+E depts around the country, closed down wards and closed down beds .
He has ‘promised’that no one will be waiting more than a year for an appointment to see a consultant .
Sure he has done lots .Please let us not forget the Nursing homes he has also closed down . He has reduced
waiting times in hospital A+E s (only because no one can afford to attend and they are too far distant to travel to)
Oh he has achieved a lot alright. ….NOT !

Genuinely…is there anyone that’s better to take over from him? He hasn’t done himself any favours recently but I honestly can’t see anyone in government that would be much better than him….sadly!

My nearest A+E is 2 hours away and that is if I make it there and not diverted to Limerick

As I have said before this is continuity FF different folks same strokes

because the HSE have done such a good job so far and why is it such a big deal to have two primary health centres in the north of dublin??? looks more like some people are out to get him fired. I do think he could be doing better but he doesnt deserve this.

Whats with insults ‘Edna’ and ‘Lapdog’??? Im sure he thinks a lot of you as well Mark..

If he did he wouldnt have promised to be different in his electoral promises and then do exactly the same when in office, wouldnt have forced a needless referendum down our throats promising Aunty Merkel that we’d be good little Europeans and do everything we were told, and then the day after we cashed in our chit go and ask for a reconsideration. Would have stopped shelling out tens of billions to unsecured bondholders as was his Number 1 promise. Would have reviewed the terms of the sale of Natural Resources off our coasts as he barked about for years in oppostition, not give out more. Would be honest that the household tax is nothing more than creating a database of property in the country for the government so that they can charge homeowners €100 for the privilege to do their work and then slap a quarter percent of value on something he has personally described as morally corrupt. A man who held open his own teaching position for decades, holding back the substitutes who were filling in for him throughout his stint in opposition, only to grant a €100,000 pension for 4 years of actual work. Yes, Im sure Enda Kenny does care about me, and all the others in this country he had the chance to make better their lives, but continues to fail to do so. I am sick to the back teeth of self serving puppets telling me to tighten my belt whilst screwing me at every opportunity. And those who defend their criminal style actions to the ordinary people of this country. Kenny (61), Quinn (66), Gilmore (57), Rabbitt (63), Noonan (69), Bruton (59), Deenihan (60), Shatter (61) will just coast through this Government, most wont care if they dont get re-elected. They wanted one last term in the sun so they could get their Ministerial Pensions. They’ll leave the heavy lifting to the next generation. We, the Irish Citizen, deserve better than this lot, deserve better treatment, deserve better representation, not just a blue tinge of the same group of green that came before.

From what ive read i think Mark is a far better man than Edna.

I really doubt it..Jack…Basically the journal.ie version of pub talk… Cheap shots and no substance……

Your so called “pub talk ” put him in it will take him out too Declan.

Id love to know what substance you look for Declan. And what substance are you providing yourself? Your excuses for the current government and their actions and inactions are part of the problem this country is suffering from. Gombeen business men providing 2million euro legal funds for a rich, court snubbing midland family. Top civil servants refusing to let go of any more than 1 of 1100 allowances. Bankrupt property developers placed in charge of the agency set up to recover their debts. And it goes on and on and on. What are views? Are you happy? What have you done about it? Dont lecture me about substance when you havent a clue what Ive already done or not done. And crawl out from behind the egg and let the world see who you really are…or are you ashamed of admitting that too.

Mark Nolan
I do not know you but I am so proud of you . You are speaking with intelligence and from the heart .
Well said , very well said !

Mark, please explain how the Quinn’s getting 2 million is related to the Minister for health..?? For me this man flawed as he is is really trying to make change….. However no matter what he does he gets flak…the famous ability of the Irish to give off about everything….. As i said before… near on 50% of the people in this country get a medical card and the rest of us have to pay for them…..!!!!
Its obvious from the way you talk that you have certain beliefs and Im beting you did not vote for Enda anyways… Thing is though….About 35% of us did and according to every pole since….they would again in the morning…. so it seems the working people of ireland must think they are doing something right!!!!! How come every political comentator outside of this country thinks we are getiing our act in order?? I could care less about promises. I say get on with job and who cares if Mark Nolan or Kerry Blake moan on journal.ie….Who really cares…

Declan Cotter
It is all Crooked , wrong , related . It is lack of integrity . But you would need integrity to see the lack of it ! :)

@ Declan Cotter what moaning. Are you not allowed to ask a totally valid question which is what I did.

BTW were do you get your figures for 35% would vote again for the current government?

I voted for FG as the best alternative. Enda seemed honest, though a bit of a thicko. Pretty much got what I expected, continuity FF as some call it. Remember, these clowns were part of the opposition during the boom. They were demanding increased spending at that time. All of the established/incumbent players are guilty, and I believe it will take a new generation before we see any real change. A pity, as time is not on our side.

How I did or didnt vote is irrelevant, Enda isnt in my own constituency however I did give preferenial votes to both Fine Gael and Labour candidates on my ballot sheet. I expected better from the two parties who beat drums condemning everything that Fianna Fail was supposed to have done wrong, but just picked up the reigns where they had been dropped without breaking stride. Its not just Reilly whos flawed, he has so much company in that department, but flawed he is. And not just flawed, but seemingly incapable of actually doing the job he was sent in to do. Theres no point in using the excuse that hes a doctor so therefore it doesnt matter that he is a debt defaulter, or has a special interest in areas where his policy strategy could benefit him, or that he can give preferential treatment to his own constituency with primary care queue jumping. Its a daft argument. Again its part of the problem that apologists seem to be comfortable to gloss over. The inability to ‘give off’ when its actually needed is a serious affliction that too many in this country are effected by. You say 35% voted for Enda, I actually wouldnt be proud of boasting about that when it was a fore gone conclusion that Fine Gael were going to win the election after the anti-FF vote, and yet they still couldnt get an overall majority. It will be interesting to see what their returns are next time round. People are leaving their side in their droves, the promises do matter, and those who cant recognise that will be given a shock at the next election. Outside commentators dont live here, all they see is the goody two shoes Irish paying back €65 billion to bondholders, swallowing what Europe and the Troica are serving us, and being spineless in accepting everything this bunch of lapdogs do to us.
I also havent a clue where you get some of your other figures from. The official figure for those covered by a Medical card is nowhere close to the 50% you quote. The actual figure as disclosed by the Department of Health is 35%. However Im sure you will know the breakdown of that figure between those in the old age category (ie those who paid tax for most of their working lives), the numbers within long term illness category, those who currently pay tax but still have it due to income thresholds, or becoming recently unemployed in the recession, and then the real spongers.
Finally, Im sorry you dont understand the relevance of the €2m in the context of the overall national political, financial and personal debacles.

What’s the alternative then? Replace him with someone worse? Or someone as bad?

Who would that help?

What would really help would be to replace him with someone better. Someone who actually cares about the health of our people.

I agree the irony is quite ironic, however I think nearly 2 years after their election in, the cry of ‘well you started it’, is nothing more than school yard stupidity. Regardless of who started it, the fact that its continuing under the heavy handed care of the incumbent doesnt bullet proof Fine Gael or Reilly. They have to start becoming accountable for their own (in)actions.

the irony is quite ironic..

Who’d have thunk it?

What if someone genuinely hasn’t made up their mind but would like to see the results? The “I don’t know” option is essential for an accurate poll.

Amongst other things, to see the results!
I already explained the “Research Methodology” grounds for its inclusion as an option and the validity of collecting such data amongst the populaton/sample, in another thread.

They just want to see the pie chart.

I voted “Don’t know” because I don’t know whether Reilly should stay or go as health minister.

Many mistakes have been made, and the health service is in a dire situation. However, this situation is not entirely Reilly’s fault. In terms of results, I don’t think his results are very good (but perhaps they will improve as the changes he wants to make come into play- and maybe they won’t – who knows?).

If he were to go, who would replace him? And how successful would they be? As others have pointed out, the health minister is facing all these pre-arranged agreements with unions, that are outside their direct control anyway. So the changes they can make are limited to within some very definite boundaries.

At least Reilly has a definite vision for how he thinks the health service should work. If someone else were to take over, would they?

I don’t think there is anyone in the government capable of fixing our health service, they need to recruit someone who has experience of reforming the NHS or similar.

James Really-Heily-Paed, more like!

Fair point Thomas….The Indo pushed Bertie down our throat for years…Told us all it was never going to end etc…The very guys who are passing comment now…. Hard to take any journalist in this country seriously….all they are after is a story and someone to hard…Lowest level of professional ethics….

Just because he’s a doctor doesn’t mean he’s qualified to run the health service. Would you let an air-hostess fly a plane

Chris, the two opposition parties have a farmer and a banker as their health bods, who would you rather treat you, a doctor, a farmer or a banker?

I have a job, maybe I should be MInister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation?

i ve got a fishing rod, can i be minister for fisheries ?

I Have about 20 rods and Poles at my home ( but I never used them cos they are my sons ) So is I want To be Sports Minister

It’s not really about the cuts he has made Damocles it’s more to do with standards in public office and with his decision to add two primary care locations based in his own constituency to the list does as Leo said point to stroke politics.

The initial call for a motion of no confidence was on the back of cuts announcements.

The Health Service here is great – once you get into it. It compares very well with other jurisdictions. But it’s getting into the system. I recently had my knee x-rayed and it took just 2 days for it to happen; yet another guy had to wait seven weeks for a similar x-ray! There seems to be a bureaucracy attached to the service for many people!

Did you pay for that Andrew??

45% of the people in this country get free health care…which is paid for by the other 50%…Is that fair…. And then people blame whoever gets the office for not sorting it out…. People with a medical card are 10 times more likely to attand a GP than those who are not?? Are they more sick???
Also the people who contribute the least are also the ones who use the most services….welfare recipients are more likely to be obese, have alchohol issues etc etc.. Its always someones fault but the truth is that the expectation culture in Ireland is really to blame…
What people really should do is add up what they get in the form of benefits from the state and compare it to what they contribute via taxation to the state over a prolonged period of time…..If the benefits figure is larger then you are part of the problem..

@Declan Cotter. Hate to say it, but I agree with you. The working middle class are subsidising the welfare state. Meanwhile those who don’t want to contribute to the state are getting away scott free. There needs to be serious reform of the welfare state in this country, but politicians won’t go there as it would be political suicide.

@ Declan Yep. There’s the rub! Once you can show some coin all the bureaucratic walls seem to vanish! Today in Ireland 15 people will die due to health inequalities. That’s over 5,000 deaths a year! http://bit.ly/RbCewJ

Andrew, I think you will find there is far more to those statistics…. Please tell me what advantage i was given…..?? I went to no private school…My parents worked hard for all of us and yet a huge percentage of the people in this country think they are entitled…… Think you will find that the % smoking, levels of obesity etc. etc. are much higher in the cohort your are talking about… Its time for that cohort to stop relying on the state and make something happen for themselves… Think about it!!! what should any able person anyone get more from the state than they contribute in their lifetime?? Why??

I’m sure a few Journal.ie readers would be well able for the job!

I’ll go with Luke Flanagan.

Nobody from the Fine Gael party should have anything to do with health.

Mrs Shorthal I suppose, at least she’s trying to do the right thing.

Then which party would you have run it?

Stephen Donnelly or maybe Peter Mathews though considering that he decided to join FG rather then run as an independent would make you question his judgement.

Frances Fitzgerald comes to mind. Fitzgerald is the most competent Minister in the present Government and probably a future Taoiseach. I don’t like it that she’s a Fine Gaeler though. Politics needs to be reset in Ireland where progressive thinkers align themselves against the regressive neo-liberal neanderthals.

The ULA.

Why should they? They’re probably the most honest of all. How could anyone really be able to predict whether things would work out better if Reilly resigned?

It’s just an opinion poll. It’s not going to change anything. The poll shows that about 30% of people who took an interest in this story don’t know whether it would be better for Reilly to resign. That view is just as valid as the “Yes” and “No” votes.

I presume they don’t know.

Some of them may not like Reilly’s style, but would be afraid that his replacement would be worse.
Some of them may believe Reilly is doing the best he can, but that someone else might do better.
Others may not have been paying much attention to this issue up to now and want to see what the general public’s attitude is.

Would you rather that they just randomly picked “Yes” or “No” despite not being sure?

They haven’t informed themselves enough to make a decision one way or the other, I’d say.