Analysing Fatso
What is it about our Health Ministers?
For years we had to endure Mad Cow Harney, and her determination to convert our health system into a bureaucratic nightmare. She closed one hospital after another in her drive to centralise everything into her so called “centres of excellence” which effectively means that if you have a particular problem you have to travel to one end of the country, or the other end if your problem is different.
Not only did she half destroy our hospital services but managed to destroy her own political party in the process.
We finally got rid of the bitch and what did we get in her place? Fatso Reilly.
Reilly, it transpires is a megalomaniacal bully. Let’s look at his short history in office.
For a start, if you are to debate with him on live television, you will be threatened by his cohorts in advance. “Think seriously about your future if you embarrass the minister on air”. Nice.
Then there is the wee matter of the Primary Care Centres, where suddenly overnight two are announced in the minister’s own constituency. And we thought stroke politics had died with Fianna Fail?
Then there is the case of the Mobility Allowance. Fatso decides not to pay it to the over 66s. The Ombudsman points out to him that this is against the law as it is discriminatory. His response? As far as he is concerned, the law is “optional”. Fucking charming!
As well as being a bully in a personal capacity, Fatso is also a strong believer in the Bully State.
He has stated his aims to double the cost of cigarettes in the next few years despite the fact that this will push the tobacco trade underground where age restrictions don’t apply.
Not content with bullying his own country, he is now spreading his wings and is lending his considerable weight to Scotland’s attempts to bring in minimum pricing for alcohol, which is against international trading laws, and will do nothing except penalise your average drinker. But what does Fatso care for laws, international or otherwise, as I have already pointed out?
As a footnote, he also intends introducing minimum pricing for alcohol here in Ireland. Not content with decimating the hospitality business with the smoking ban, he is going to do his damndest to kill off any remaining pub businesses with measures that will do fuck all about any supposed “alcohol problems”. Naturally this is to be introduced without any public or industry consultation. After all, his opinions are obviously superior to the laws or even reason.
This man is dangerous.
Just a thought….If Sinn Fein make it into the next Gubmint there's a chance, at the rate she's growing, that Mary Lou may be the new 'Fatso'.
She would need to step up the old pizzas a bit. It seems to be a mandatory requirement for our health ministers to be obese?
Fuckwits abound in all governments these days… perhaps they always did but these days they just seem to have all 'come out' at the same time!
I don't mind fuckwits. I'm used to them at this stage and can take them in my stride. Fatso is in a different league though. He has all the hallmarks of a petty tyrant which means he should be watched very closely. God help us all if he ever got the leadership.
History has proven that recessions always tend to herald the start of fuckwit season in parliaments worldwide. With certain exceptions of course, most notably in the Ukraine: http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Photos+Brawl+erupts+Ukrainian+parliament/7688831/story.html
Now THAT's something I'd pay to see on Dail TV. Nothing would be more satisfying than watching KFC Kenny haphazardly running around the Dail with opponents in full chase.
Ahhhh, yesss – grab us another can from the fridge there, would you, Luv?
Damn! I’d buy tickets for that too. Let the blood flow…….
Christ almighty! I thought our politicians here were bad, but this guy sounds like a real peach.
At least ministers here channel most of their energies into funneling state funds into their bank accounts, so don't have a lot of time spare for that sort of fuckwittery. It's a trade-off really, but I think I'd rather be robbed than have some petty tyrant trying to impose his will on me.
Politicians. Don't you just love them?
As far as I am concerned, come the revolution, Fatso is head of the queue for the piano wire. Except of course in his case it will have to be steel hawser.
Sic semper Tyrannis.
Quidem
Hi,
Firstly, GD you are way too prolific for me. I just come up with a measured response to one blog and you're already two three blogs down the line, I can't keep up.
I don't know the man in question, but it is incredible that the most unhealthy looking people are often in charge of the health service. I mean why would anyone, let alone a nation want to listen to a very over weight person telling them what's best for their health. Would you go to a dentist with bad teeth? Maybe they should double the price of Mars bars and cream cakes, and leave other stuff a lone.
Hypocrisy does seem to be the name of the game when it comes to politics. Over here we keep hearing from the millionaire cabinet that 'We are all in this together'! Don't think so. Did you hear at the last EU summit they were drinking wine that cost 120 euro a bottle, yeah that's definitely what most of us do all the time!
"I can't keep up" Sorry about that Mary. Maybe if I type a bit slower?
"I don't know the man in question" Hah! Time you were introduced so. Here he is [viewer caution advised. Not for the faint of heart].
"they were drinking wine that cost 120 euro a bottle" Don't worry. If our gubmints have their we that's what we will all be drinking soon.
Thanks for the link. He definitely looks like a candidate for my son to cite as a reason for not getting out of bed if he caught sight of him on the TV screen too often! and that's before he's even heard him speak!
Bring back the shebeens, or as they'll soon be known; the "hedge boozers".
Don’t worry. They’ll be back if they aren’t already. Plenty of nice cozy friendly places where one can have a quiet smoke and a drop of good old poitín!
A modern general hospital is like a factory, with lots of departments manned by various categories of specialists. The specialists ruthlessly protect their own turf – and their salary differentials. The low-income workers do all the shovelling and keep the gigantic machines turning i.e. the cleaners, who curtail dirt and germs, the canteen staff who prepare and distribute meals to staff and patients, and the nurses who comfort patients, change sheets and dispense bedpans for those unable to move. All the compartmentalization and all the entrenched salaries and perks and upper crust status attitudes has made it extremely difficult for Ministers, including Harney, to restructure the health services.
I can't see a proper rationalization of the Irish health services until the entrenched power and vested interests of top level professionals are given some dynamite treatment.
The trouble with the Dynamite treatment is there will be casualties and these will most likely be the lower level ranks. The Upper levels always protect themselves and have bail out clauses built into their contracts. The lower levels are all employees and are subject to more stringent managerial controls.
There might be a chance of change if the system were to implode.
All they need is for someone with the balls to face up to top management. Half of them should be sacked anyway.