Minister for Private health?

UCHG A&E at 11am 20/08/2008

August 20th 2008:





You hear the stories, you read the newspapers and official reports, the debates are never ending and you think you've seen or heard it all but you haven't. Not until you see it for yourself, does it becomes clear the ruinous state our health services are in.
On a wet August wednesday morning at 11am, in Galways primary health facility at least 12 people lay on trolleys in and around A&E. In the same county hospital that the Minister for Health hails from, staff did their best to tend to ill patients in a room with 1/2 inch plywood, a mere 4ft high seperating them from other poor unfortunates waiting for medical assistance.
Notions of dignity, privacy, hygiene were lost among the hustle and bustle of over-worked staff, cramped conditions, and crumbling infrastructure. The Minister for Health said recently that she couldnt look the women of the northwest in the eye, I wonder how she feels about the men and women of Galway. UCHG is bursting at the seems and yet shes still determined to see out her disastorous term as Minister for Health.
Ego, self-importance and reckless arrogance have destroyed our heath services, in Harney we have someone who epitomises everything thats wrong with politics, our health services and the 'new' Ireland. She may not be able to look the women of the northwest in the eye but then again she doesnt visit the northwest, I wonder how she even holds her head up in public anymore, how she can face the people of Galway, how can she face herself and the mire that is our health system.

Knocknarea

August 17th 2008




150 people climb legendary
Knocknarea mountain in Sligo. As tradition dictates each participant brings a stone to the ancient cairn of Queen Maeve, the warrior queen of Connaught.
The youngest had just turned 3, the oldest was in her 80's accompanied by her life long friend, herself only a year younger. Cancer patients struggled up the wet rocks, families carried stones in rememberance of their loved ones lost and even some local politicans made the trek to the top.
After a week of storms, floods across the country and a months rain in a single dark August day, even the weather was kind that morning as people from all across the northwest stood together at the top of Queen Maeves tomb.
As one walker said, 'with Queen Maeve and God on our side who the hell can be on theirs'