Harney criticised for not attending health debates

[adamirer]

MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney came under fire for her failure to turn up in the Dáil this month for 15 adjournment debates that dealt with health issues.

Labour Party whip Emmet Stagg said that during May 34 adjournment debates were raised and a Cabinet Minister turned up on only one occasion – Tánaiste Mary Coughlan – “who attended because the subject pertained to job losses in her own constituency”, he claimed.

But Ms Harney said that “there has been a refusal to agree to serious Dáil reform for several years”, and it was a matter for all parties.

Harney criticised for not attending health debates - The Irish Times - Fri, May 29, 2009

I dunno, the disregard some people show for their jobs is amazing. I mean, you have to wonder does the Dail matter anymore when anything of import seems to be leaked, announced or declared in a press conference. If Ministers can't even be arsed turning up to even a few of the debates concerning their Dept.

[drzhivago]

How can you be Minister for health and not turn up for health debates

That is just anachronistic

[cactusflower]

Can we have our money back please ?

[Pauli]

It has been clear for a long time that her interest in the health service is confined solely to privatising as much of it as she can get away with. It is a damning indictment of the state of investigative journalism in Ireland that no-one has done the legwork to find out and publish details of the cabal of people and interests behind her.

A good starting point would be her husbands lobbying firm which is infested with ex-PDs of senior rank. It acts on behalf of US profiteering health interests (and by definition against the public interest) A lot of ex-PDs are still lurking in the background, no longer in politics but welded to the government in one way or another, like some sort of shadowy fifth column influencing policy and direction in this hapless regime with none of the accountability.

Harney's absence from health debates indicates that she feels she is not accountable to anyone anyway.

[spidermom]

But sure isn't it the HSE that run the health service not the DOHC.......Ooopppss so why exactly do we have the DOHC...?????

[drzhivago]

But sure isn't it the HSE that run the health service not the DOHC.......Ooopppss so why exactly do we have the DOHC...?????

40 years ago health was a function of county councils/local government

Health Act came in 1970 and then became a function of Department of health, No council layoffs and a whole raft of new employments in health

In the 1980's Health wanted to get away from adversarial industrial relations so they set up HSEA (health services employers agency), no lay offs in health, lots more jobs in HSEA but at least good relations between health and the people they negotiated with

The Health people who used to go to the negotiations continued to go to give the Health line but teh HSEA were the ones unions would fall out with

Merge 8 health boards, create HSE to operationally run the health service with Health dept to concentrate on policy, no lay offs in health, lots of new jobs in HSE

Now negotiating have HSE, HSEA, and department of health, all getting days off to attend

Budgets getting tight so Finance now send people to negotiations to make sure health, HSE, HSEA dont agree to anything that costs so now you have HEALTH/HSE/HSEA and Finance going to negotiate when previously one small delegation did it

Now HSE too big so they want to break it down to 4 units, put in place 4 new regional chiefs, deputy chiefs, assitant CEO, deputy assistant CEo etc etc

Do you see a pattern emergeing, will there be any lay offs when all these new jobs are set up

Will there ****

[spidermom]

""""Do you see a pattern emergeing, will there be any lay offs when all these new jobs are set up"""""....


Emmmmm...nope should I?????


(SIGH!!!) shifting sunny type seating devices on tragically doomed sea vessel?

But the trouble is its you and me in steerage this time!!!!

[drzhivago]

""""Do you see a pattern emergeing, will there be any lay offs when all these new jobs are set up"""""....


Emmmmm...nope should I?????


(SIGH!!!) shifting sunny type seating devices on tragically doomed sea vessel?

But the trouble is its you and me in steerage this time!!!!

Think I am in the boiler room and running out of coal as well

[ivicia]

[QUOTE=drzhivago;1712717]
In the 1980's Health wanted to get away from adversarial industrial relations so they set up HSEA (health services employers agency), no lay offs in health, lots more jobs in HSEA but at least good relations between health and the people they negotiated with

/QUOTE]

Of all the agencies the HSEA was one that worked well form the point of view of issuing guidelines to all health sections. For exampple, they issued the Terms and Conditions in the last few days and its a good reference document.

There is about 40 staff (maybe less) and for an orgainistion that advises the biggest emloyer in the state I think that's a low number.

Since the HSE was set up their role isn't as clear to me.

As of next week they will be part of the Office of Human Resorces and have a new name, something like HR - Corporate Industrial Relations...

[drzhivago]

not sure they are the shining light in industrial relations in fairness