Finally - Fianna Fail has failed us

WexfordMusings

Well for quite some time we have known the Fianna Fail led government helped out by their current whipping boys (and girls) - the yellows (ooops greens) - were on the slippery slope but finally the Wexford Camels back has been broken witht he final straw of news today that by the end of the year, the government want to close 24 hour A&E service in Wexford General Hospital.

The truth of the much rumoured downgrading of Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny & Clonmel Hospitals was finally given substance today by the Irish Independant - read the article at: http://www.independent.ie/health/latest-news/acute-hospitals-face-downgrade-by-hse-1749791.html.

Please lodge your protest at this shambolic attempt by the government to save the HSE circus they have created over the last few years - (only in Ireland would we have a body responsible for Health Services that the Minister for Health in turn not responsible for) by signing the petition to stop the closure of Wexfords ONLY 24 Hour A&E Serivce on http://www.brendanhowlin.ie/

Thanks

John Ryan

ejmaztec

Finally - Fianna Fail has failed us


No "finally" about it, because they haven't finished failing us yet.

Joey the lips

With the greatest respect we have known a long time that FF failed us. Its what your going to do about it. See your vote is the biggest protest! Fianna Failure voters will come out and vote so its up to you to come out and protest against them!

kevteljeur

While I agree that Fianna Fail has outdone themselves in terms of sinking the economy and social fabric of this country, it would be worthwhile to remember this quote from George Bernard Shaw:

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."

People voted for Fianna Fail in the largest proportion consistently over the last decade and a half, including in Wexford. No-one will admit to it, and they may lose their supporters now, but people did vote for them. These policies aren't some shocking bolt out of the blue. They've been discussed since well before the last election, there's no surprise that cuts were planned.

And everyone was happy while we got our low taxes, tax rebates, and unprecedented wealth, and paid no further attention to long-term planning, including hospital cutbacks and closures. I'm not sure that Fine Gael or Labour would have run the show any differently, incidentally. They just have the benefit of being the opposition parties, and screaming 'I told you so' at every opportunity.

Too late to change your mind now people; you, whoever you are out there, voted for them and their policies! (this isn't directed at the OP, by the way)



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The_Conductor

Politicians want power, but not the responsibility that comes with that power. That is why the HSE is an out of control monster. If you look at the other government departments- they have devolved responsibilities for what were once core functions to quangoes all over the place. Is it any wonder the place is out of control......

ejmaztec

smccarrick wrote: »

Politicians want power, but not the responsibility that comes with that power. That is why the HSE is an out of control monster. If you look at the other government departments- they have devolved responsibilities for what were once core functions to quangoes all over the place. Is it any wonder the place is out of control......

They should have learned from the screw-ups, which resulted from the various health-service re-organisations carried out in the UK over several decades. Unfortunately for us, they seemed to walk blindly into it.

spank_inferno

Tht is unfortunate for wexford as its a big county with a well spread population.
Could be worse though, your neighbour county to the north doesnt even have a 24hr A&E hospital to lose in the first place.

Previous posters are right though.
The next time Mary Harney tells a journalist she isnt responsible, they should ask her what is she responsible for? What is it that she does?

Because if the government would like to have a minister for health who isnt responsible for the health service I would like them to know I'll do that job for half the price!

ART6

If Wexford 24 hour A&E is closed where will patients be taken? Waterford Regional? There are times of day when you can't get near the b****y place for traffic snarl ups caused by Waterford Council's strange ideas of strategic planning. And if the City Engineer has his way and puts in his "green" routes with bus lanes and cycle lanes on the main roads into town (one of them being the Dunmore road that serves the hospital), then youthful patients could reach pensionable age in the time it would take to get them there from Wexford.

There are times when I despair of the management of this country, and other times when I can only watch with utter bemusement:(

The_Conductor

You're inferring the country has management. It doesn't. It has a fire fighting damage control team- who are crap at what they do. Fullstop.

Hasschu

FF has rode the coat tails of DeValera who was the last honest man to head FF. They are also living off the echoes of my great grandfather was with FF on the barricades at the sports field on any date between 1916 and 1921. An even better one is which side your great grand father was on during the period 1921-23. We have a party system at the municipal level which is considered most destructive even for big cities in the rest of the developed world. Then we have the "clean up government with one hand" and create taxpayer funded Quangos, PPP and even stranger concoctions to continue the scams with the other hand. From national defence to filling potholes one party has been skimming the cream since 1922. Granted there were some short lived interruptions such as Sean Lemass and Fitzgerald. Irish voters have voted enthusiastically for crooks. As one of my relatives explained it we are hoping he will spread the gravy around and we will all get a little bit. Change does not appear to be high on anyones list of priorities. Misplaced loyalty is turning out to be a luxury that we can ill afford. Vote early and vote often.

ardmacha

And if the City Engineer has his way and puts in his "green" routes with bus lanes and cycle lanes on the main roads into town (one of them being the Dunmore road that serves the hospital), then youthful patients could reach pensionable age in the time it would take to get them there from Wexford.

Since Ambulances can use bus lanes I imagine this would speed them up rather than slow them down.