Tallaght Strategy on Health: Dukes demolishes Noel Whelan

[Compound Fracture]

We're all aware of this suggestion, made by Harney and various FF mouthpieces in the media. Noel Whelan opined extensively on it last week, and in previous weeks, lauding in particular the role of Alan Dukes in what he saw as a similar bipartisan effort in 1987.

Something tells me that poor Noel hadn't reckoned on Alan Dukes himself writing to the Irish Times to demolish his FF Press Office-inspired vision. Mr. Dukes says:

There are no relevant parallels between the current controversies on health service delivery and either the Tallaght Strategy or the approach to Northern Ireland issues.
At the time of the Tallaght Strategy, it had become clear that the basis for a consensual approach on overall fiscal strategy was in place. When the Fianna Fáil government presented its budget after the 1987 general election, it was clear that it had dropped the main planks of budgetary policy which it had advocated during the election in favour of an approach which closely mirrored the Fine Gael proposals which the Labour Party had rejected at the beginning of the year.

There is today no corresponding level of agreement about the means of securing efficient and satisfactory delivery of health services. The HSE is the creation of the current Minister for Health, acting in the 2002-2007 government. While I was not privy to any discussions leading to its creation, I have found no evidence of any real attempt to secure any measure of cross-party consensus on the basic structure, which itself constituted a major innovation

Passionate expressions of commitment and sincerity by the Minister are not enough. Real, cards-on-the-table analysis and confrontation of ideas and approaches are what is needed. The prize is the health of the nation and is well worth the effort

It's always a joy to see wannabe hacks, made-up journalists, and FF stooges like Noel Whelan torn to shreds by people of genuine integrity and intellect, like Alan Dukes

[meriwether]

John Crowne was on the political party last sunday, and made a salient point. If we want widespread cooperation on how to approach the health service, and cross party consensus, well seeing as no party agrees with Mary Harney on her view of health (FG, Lab and the Greens all oppose co-location, FF have ceded any opinion, content to let her take the flak, in return for whatever the hell she likes), and her party got under 3% in the election, Mary Harney has no place in this proposed set-up, unless she concedes large parts of her ideology.

Which she's not going to do, which negates any viability of a cross party consesnus approach.

[White Horse]

If she wants cross party consensus, she needs to start the policy with a blank sheet of paper.

[Compound Fracture]

How about Enda Kenny and James Reilly marching to Harney and offering a bipartisan approach on cancer.........IF co-location is scrapped.

"Quid pro quo, Clarice. Quid pro quo."

[greengoose]

How about Enda Kenny and James Reilly marching to Harney and offering a bipartisan approach on cancer.........IF co-location is scrapped.

"Quid pro quo, Clarice. Quid pro quo."

How about Harney doing the job she is being paid to do and stot this nonsense of cobbling together these "Centers of Excellence" on old run down, MRSA ridden hospitals in the metropolis! Stand alone brand new, clean units with adequate staff and equipment should be advocated.

Kenny and Reilly are in opposition so it is not their function to run the show but to ensure that the show is being run properly. Maybe if they got 38 grand increase they could be called upon...

[MarD]

Most disingenuous of Harney to call for cross-party support when she really just means 'leave me alone'.
Will it surprise anyone that in a year's time when there is another screw up she'll blame the opposition by saying that she offered cross-party consensus on health but they refused to accept her offer and that their sniping has undermined progress in the HSE!

[aodh_rua]

Most disingenuous of Harney to call for cross-party support when she really just means 'leave me alone'.
Will it surprise anyone that in a year's time when there is another screw up she'll blame the opposition by saying that she offered cross-party consensus on health but they refused to accept her offer and that their sniping has undermined progress in the HSE!

Good point - cross party consensus doesn't mean agree with me. The Tallaght Strategy represented an approach that differed little between the two parties, and required some difficult decisions hence the need for consensus over points scoring.

[Big Bruffer]

The Tallaght strategy proved troublesome for the majority of FG people at the time and in retrospect was wrong. Haughey and his minions lined their pockets during that period when some of the worst excessses of spatial planning were visited on us all.

Dukes paid the price eventually but the damage had been done.

[CrockerJarman]

Time for someone to blow this Tallaght Strategy for Cancer nonsense out of the water. No better hombre than the Duke himself.

[drbob1972]

The Tallaght strategy proved troublesome for the majority of FG people at the time and in retrospect was wrong. Haughey and his minions lined their pockets during that period when some of the worst excessses of spatial planning were visited on us all.

Dukes paid the price eventually but the damage had been done.

whilst i agree that the Tallaght Strategy probably cost Dukes the leadership and that FF gained more that FG did and that some of the more dishonest members of government personally gained, i think it is also worth noting that these policies and the support of FG in same had a major contributing effect on the economy and Ireland's current prosperity.

with respect to applying the same to Health, i don't think its that simple as the polices don't match, there is little to indicate that Harney is looking for anything other than a rubber stamping of her current "plan" by the other parties, i cannot see that helping in anyway shape or form.