Oireachtas Live

Heinrich

The sound on that damned thing is gone again. Strange that it happens when the opposition deputies are tearing the health ministry apart over the cancer situation.

We already had the Ceann Comhairle rowing earlier. He leans very much towards FF but how many degrees might that be?

Where is Harney today? She should be in there answering questions!

Villain

She's probably on ebay trying to buy ICU beds for St James's!

flogen

Heinrich wrote:

The sound on that damned thing is gone again. Strange that it happens when the opposition deputies are tearing the health ministry apart over the cancer situation.

We already had the Ceann Comhairle rowing earlier. He leans very much towards FF but how many degrees might that be?

The major flaw in the election process for Ceann Comhairle IMO - O'Hanlon has been running as FF candidate since 1973 and he's expected to suddenly drop that alligence and be neutral? That's a big task for anyone, there's bad need for reform in that area.

Where is Harney today? She should be in there answering questions!

Ha! chance would be a fine thing for that kind of accountability and up-front handling of ministry positions.
Harney obviously saw today's order of business, which had a lot of hard questions on healthcare - she then had a choice - go into the Dail and take a verbal drubbing, while trying in vein to defend the situation or do a few rounds on the country's media talking about how great it is to see BUPA bought by Quinn and bigging up how great private healthcare competition is in this country.
I know what I'd pick.

Heinrich

What I find disturbing is all the smoke and mirrors. When you follow a live debate on Oireachtas Live and listen to some of the appalling waffle handed out by the Government and compare that to the little that is reported in the media the opposition is very badly represented.

When the opposition come along with real facts on cervical cancer screening and the long delays in waiting for results the annswers are always statistics and how much the Government are ploughing into the affair. The we have the opposition coming back with tales of how the money is there but is not being spent.

The debate concerning consultants is more smopke and mirrors. Sad fact is that even with the numbers we currently have there are simply not enough beds and facilities to perform the operations necessary and procedures are being cancelled. Mr Ahern, on the other hand claims that dey are not bein' cancelled . dat dey are simply bein' postponed for udder reesins!

The operations, whether cancelled or postponed, are simply not being performed so that places the suffering patient in grave danger and some are dying as a result.

There should not be a price on healthcare and trying to shoulder the blame on the consultants is a very sleazy of getting out of the dilema. Sadly there is a colossal mess, created and fostered by this Government and with their attitude they do not have the means to clean up.

O'Hanlon and the media do not help either.

InFront

flogen wrote:

The major flaw in the election process for Ceann Comhairle IMO - O'Hanlon has been running as FF candidate since 1973 and he's expected to suddenly drop that alligence and be neutral? That's a big task for anyone, there's bad need for reform in that area.

My understanding is that O'Hanlon doesn't have to be re-elected to sit at the next Dail, once you wish to continue to chair the Dail you are automatically re-elected, is that incorrect? And does he continue to be a FF public representative at party meetings?

flogen

InFront wrote:

My understanding is that O'Hanlon doesn't have to be re-elected to sit at the next Dail, once you wish to continue to chair the Dail you are automatically re-elected, is that incorrect? And does he continue to be a FF public representative at party meetings?

Yes - if he decides to stay on as CC he is automatically re-elected.
As for his involvement in FF, I'm not sure... he may still have a vote at Ard Fheiseanna etc. as a party member, but I'm not sure about this - perhaps someone could clarify

Chakar

O'Hanlon has said he is excercising his constitutional right to be automatically re-elected to the Dail in his constituency in Monaghan so that seat which he has would unavailable for election.

He hasn't said anything about running for Ceann Comhairle (CC) in the 30th Dail as far as I know.Also he is a FF'er but when he became a CC he became independent and has not been talking to his political friends.He would make an effort to be impartial but the reality is that the Taoiseach controls the business of the Dail.

ballooba

Rory O'Hanlon is not impartial. Anyone who watches Oireachtas debates would tell you that. Even most Fianna Failers wouldn't try and paint him as impartial.

InFront

<awake>"The Deputy is out of order"</asleep>

I love the title of the British Deputy Speaker "The leader of the Ways and Means Commitee"... sounds like he's someone out of Nineteen Eighty Four!

sceptre

InFront wrote:

My understanding is that O'Hanlon doesn't have to be re-elected to sit at the next Dail, once you wish to continue to chair the Dail you are automatically re-elected, is that incorrect?

The outgoing Ceann Comhairle is automatically returned to the next Dail should they wish to continue in the Dail (it's article 16.6 of the constitution IIRC, procedures are part of the Electoral Act of 1992). Whether they want to continue in the Ceann Comhairle job is irrelevant (the incoming Dail members are free to elect anyone they wish).