Frontline Health Services Special 29th March 2010

[Béal na Bláth]

Dying to see what Minister Harney has to say. Should be good.

[C. Flower]

Galway seems to be in a very bad state.

[Béal na Bláth]

Galway has less beds than 20 years ago. Population certainly hasn't dwindled to match. It seems the hospital was just labelled a "Centre of Excellence" but given nothing to support its new status.

[C. Flower]

The Harney idea I suppose is that people go into private services ???

[Béal na Bláth]

Huge admiration for that lady Janette Byrne. We could use more people with her passion and conviction in the Dáil.

[Béal na Bláth]

The Harney idea I suppose is that people go into private services ???

Indeed. The great unwashed can fend for themselves on trollies and chairs in ramshackle A+Es. Marie Antoinette springs to mind.

[C. Flower]

Huge admiration for that lady Janette Byrne. We could use more people with her passion and conviction in the Dáil.

What is shocking is that things are worse now in some respects than 6 years ago. Life expectancy has increased, but a lot of that would be a healthier and better fed population coming through the system.

[ZANU-FF]

I am shocked to admit this:

Harney won the debate tonight

[MediaBite]

I am shocked to admit this:

Harney won the debate tonight

And the reason she did was because she was wrapped in cotton wool by Pat Kenny. Noone else allowed to debate with her at the top table. Only a few cursory inputs allowed from the audience while she was on. But above all Pat Kenny's pretendy tough questions were actually set pieces designed to give her a platform for all that uninterrupted waffle with figures and statistics. Earlier in the programme Kenny was good at insisting people answer the actual question he asked. Harney ddidnt answer any of his, she sidestepped almost all of them at least, and he let her do it. She was allowed to waffle on at length. So if that's 'winning' the debate, then she 'won' it alright.

[ZANU-FF]

And the reason she did was because she was wrapped in cotton wool by Pat Kenny. Noone else allowed to debate with her at the top table. Only a few cursory inputs allowed from the audience while she was on. But above all Pat Kenny's pretendy tough questions were actually set pieces designed to give her a platform for all that uninterrupted waffle with figures and statistics. Earlier in the programme Kenny was good at insisting people answer the actual question he asked. Harney ddidnt answer any of his, she sidestepped almost all of them at least, and he let her do it. She was allowed to waffle on at length. So if that's 'winning' the debate, then she 'won' it alright.

in fairness, she said she wanted the details of the texter who had an appointment in 2014

the audience were let down by the nutter from Tallaght that kept shouting off mic

they red haired mother from Clonmel did the public no favours either

I am just calling it as I saw it and I am a long time hater.

[Xray]

She is a good talker and she got of light to be honest. Nobody even mention that her two big men have resigned from the organisation. In fairness to Kenny I thought "he got it" and asked the questions I would have asked, you needed some terrier in there too though. Like the FG beard.

Anyway she has about a year now to do something if the gov does not fall, a lot might happen in a short period of time now. One way or another she has had a good shot at it.

[C. Flower]

She is a good talker and she got of light to be honest. Nobody even mention that her two big men have resigned from the organisation. In fairness to Kenny I thought "he got it" and asked the questions I would have asked, you needed some terrier in there too though. Like the FG beard.

Anyway she has about a year now to do something if the gov does not fall, a lot might happen in a short period of time now. One way or another she has had a good shot at it.

After hearing that Eamon Ryan would not go on the Vincent Browne show if Patricia McKenna was on the panel, I have been wondering if that goes on all the time. I wonder if Mary Harney had a veto over who was on that programme. I can think of a few vociferous health people who were absent. Of course the other thing is that she is so powerful on the turf that it would take a brave person to stick their neck out and confront her.

[Xray]

After hearing that Eamon Ryan would not go on the Vincent Browne show if Patricia McKenna was on the panel, I have been wondering if that goes on all the time. I wonder if Mary Harney had a veto over who was on that programme. I can think of a few vociferous health people who were absent. Of course the other thing is that she is so powerful on the turf that it would take a brave person to stick their neck out and confront her.

I would gladly go on against her, it would not be hard to beat her on that subject matter. Did Ryan refuse? I thought it was the other guy?

Politicians should not be allowed dictate who they will go on with or what questions will be asked. It is particularly sinister when they are PS workers depending on the government for their jobs. I don't if this applied to Ms. Harney so I wont speculate, but the VB thing was a disgrace. I am a huge VB fan after the other nite.