where is Mary Harney?

[DCon]

Harney is a government minister, ALL government ministers answer to the Taoiseach.

In theory.

But governmnt Ministers without a political party who have a lot of dirt on the main governmnt party and whose vote is absoloutely crucial to the government can assume a lot of independence.

[DCon]

Ms Harney's continuing on her New Zealand junket during a very serious crisis is a display of pure arrogance. Hopefully some journos out there will catch her touring vineyards while her people are suffering at the other side of the planet.

If it emerges that she is on a pre-Paddy's day jolly, jolly, could pairing be removed?

[goosebump]

Ms Harney's continuing on her New Zealand junket during a very serious crisis is a display of pure arrogance. Hopefully some journos out there will catch her touring vineyards while her people are suffering at the other side of the planet.

Sorry, but who exactly is 'suffering' and in what way would Mary Harney's presence alleviate that suffering?

Tallaght Hospital has been dealing with the issue since mid-December. Nothing has changed in the last few days, other than that the media now know that a backlog of X-Rays is being reviewed.

Harney can answers questions in the Dail when she returns. Her whereabouts at the moment are completely irrelevant. Expecting her to fly half way around the world so that she can do an interview with Sean O'Rourke is ridiculous.

[OceanFrog]

Sorry, but who exactly is 'suffering' and in what way would Mary Harney's presence alleviate that suffering?

Tallaght Hospital has been dealing with the issue since mid-December. Nothing has changed in the last few days, other than that the media now know that a backlog of X-Rays is being reviewed.

Harney can answers questions in the Dail when she returns. Her whereabouts at the moment are completely irrelevant. Expecting her to fly half way around the world so that she can do an interview with Sean O'Rourke is ridiculous.

Spoken like a true ex-PD.

[FakeViking]

Sorry, but who exactly is 'suffering'

http://www.politics.ie/health-social...h-figures.html

[TimBuckII]

edit - addressed already

[DCon]

Sorry, but who exactly is 'suffering' and in what way would Mary Harney's presence alleviate that suffering?

Tallaght Hospital has been dealing with the issue since mid-December. Nothing has changed in the last few days, other than that the media now know that a backlog of X-Rays is being reviewed.

Harney can answers questions in the Dail when she returns. Her whereabouts at the moment are completely irrelevant. Expecting her to fly half way around the world so that she can do an interview with Sean O'Rourke is ridiculous.

Using that logic, do we need a Minister for managing the outsourcing of health provision to the HSE at all?

[goosebump]

Using that logic, do we need a Minister for managing the outsourcing of health provision to the HSE at all?

Yes, to deal with policy issues, budgetary issues and to respond to the Oireachtas on these matters.

The role of the MOH is not to micro-manage the administration of care in individual hospitals.

[MadAsHell]

That she choose to continue with a trip of little significance while the scandal at Tallaght Hospital has come into the public domain is unforgiveable.
That Cowen permitted such defines his absence of any leadership quality whatsoever.
Harney should have her resignation on Cowen's desk over this disgrace too far .
At his insistence.

And her resignation will help who?
Yes, take responsibility, but make sure that responsibility is shared and placed on the right people. Do we know someone else who's willing to try and fix our health service, Bell, Doran, a ward sister in Tallaght?

[FakeViking]

and to respond to the Oireachtas on these matters

Bit difficult to "respond" when she junkets off while the Dáil is still in session. It's not as if she's got short holidays.