St Vincent’s encapsulates one of the main – if not the main – structural problems within the Irish health service: the interweaving of the private and public hospital systems and all the perverse incentives its creates. At its very simplest private hospitals cannot prosper unless the public hospital system fails. Organisations such as St Vincent’s and individuals such as consultants with a foot in both camps have a vested interest in maintaining this status quo – if not to exacerbate it.
In the news is that one Freddie Scappaticci also know as “Stakeknife” has been arrested by British Police at a undisclosed location. The past activities of the man are also under investigation by Chief constable Jon Boutcher and his squad. “Stakeknife” is believed to be involved in up to fifty killings with some at the behest of his handlers in British intelligence and others just to cover up for himself. He is believed to be a high level (but not the highest) informer in the I.R.A for the British army. He was “outed” as a tout by “Martin Ingram” and Greg Harkin in their book “Stakeknife” and quickly fled Belfast despite initial denials. It would seem that the Brits have given him up but its unlikely that they will allow the goings of British intelligence to be aired. Despite this it will be interesting to watch.
In the news of late is Rathkeale, not for good news apparently. Armed police are to be deployed to this small town in the run up/during and after Christmas period. Large numbers of “travellers” come to the town each Christmas and its become quite rowdy time for Rathkeale. Haven’t heard of a lot of trouble happening but the deployment of armed police at Christmas time is becoming a regular event.
These visitors constantly drive up and down the town in swoosh cars which are actually rented for the Christmas period. They are annoying and cause traffic jams, feral children are also a problem. Don’t see why they all come to Rathkeale as they are living their lives elsewhere. Some business in town do well from the influx of “Visitors” but they give a bad image of Rathkeale and many houses are boarded up for the rest of the year.
Rathkeale becomes half a Ghost town. The “Traveller” community is over represented in Rathkeale and more should be done to encourage people to live there and more business/employment attracted to the town.
On the news at nine o’ clock is the announcement that Gerry Adams is to step down as leader of Sinn fein. Gerry Adams has held the position since 1983 which is over thirty four years, quite a achievement in a modern political party.
Gerry Adams has led a chequered career in Sinn fein, he ended the “armed struggle” alongside Martin McGuinness who died earlier this year and signed up for the controversial Good friday agreement. He has built up a political organisation with seats at the Dáil, Westminster and Stormont assemblies. The party has become a lot more numerous than during the “armed struggle” as seen during their ard fheis in Dublin. However the movement he leads tends to take one step forward followed by two steps backward. He put in a highly suspicious performance during the 2007 Dáil elections. letting Micheal McDowell land some punches on him about Farc and the sum of twenty five million allegedly obtained from them despite knowing that some PD’s were “ansbachers”. Nobody asked him to explain his showing and he largely lost the election for Sinn fein. Some form of blackmail seemed to have been used. Adams led/leads a movement that is chock full of informers, touts and spies. One wonders what the future holds for Sinn fein and will they get their referendum on Irish unity in the years to come, everybody needs to play for team Ireland to win that one.
History will write on Gerry Adams and his legacy in the fullness of time.
Our esteemed Taoiseach Leo Varadklar has put his foot in it, by saying on an interview with BBC spotlight that more than 50%+1 wouldn’t be sufficient for there to be an United Ireland and consensus (general agreement according to Google) would be required, Now hold on a minute here when was “consensus” ever required when it came to the north… In the never never more like. Making up my mind on our present taoiseach but its clear he is a blue-shirt of the first order, he is half Indian which means he should know better to come out with this pseudo-unionism. Lord Kilclooney aka John Taylor of the “moderate” OUP thanked Leo Varadkar for his “realism”, no thank his blue-shirt.
The loyalists are full of threats of course but like all bullies don’t amount to much when they are stood up to. One thing they never was a unionist majority in Ireland, Donegal remains the most northern county in Ireland and Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan are part of ulster too but where excluded from “Northern Ireland” for the simple reason they would be too many Catholics.
Irish people as a whole were never consulted whether they wanted a border or not it was just forced on them. However one loyalist politician I do agree with is Nelson McCausland when he says that the taoiseach’s comments are “a recognition that the main political parties in the Irish Republic have no real interest in Irish unity“.
Fianna fail and fine gael have little interest in uniting Ireland or providing jobs for their people, they feel they have a god given right to scams and want nothing to rock the boat.
In the aftermath of the british election, the conservative party (uk) have chosen to ally themselves with their “friends and allies” in the north’s Dup (Democratic unionist party as they call themselves). The Dup expect to receive more than £1 billion(in the next two years) in extra funding for the north for their support of the minority conservative government in confidence votes. brexit negotiations and so on. The prospect of a border poll is also ruled out during the tenure of this tory government, hardily surprising considering the Dup and its ” klu klux klan” associations. One wonders what sort of trouble is coming due to the conservative/dup link up but with sectarian marching season in the north nearly upon us, you are quiet likely to find out.
At least one item gets the “bin” and that’s the british pretence of being “honest brokers” or any idea of them being “impartial” in the goings on of the north. Otherwise the Dup’s “billion” doesn’t sound like that much especially as it is over two years which is £500 million/year despite all the cuts made by the “Tories”. The only question how does the Tory/Dup linkup last, brexit negotiations will be over in two years time, there is a possibility of a referendum/election being called at that stage or will the Tories/ Dup last until 2022 ?
