On the waste of money

Looking back at Leader’s questions from last week I continue to be amazed, or dismayed even, at the nonsense Bertie Ahern comes out with. Machiavelli would be proud.

The Taoiseach: Deputy Kenny tried to say that it is an IT system. It is not an IT system.

Mr. Allen: It is a system that does not work.

The Taoiseach: It is a human resource system being developed for the entire HSE into the future. A large part of it is working.

Ms Enright: It is not working.

The Taoiseach: The firm in question, Deloitte & Touche, did not get the money just for consultancy. It implemented the system, trained 140,000 staff and tried to put the entire system together. That is what the money was paid for. We should have more honesty. There are difficulties with the system, but we should not have presentations, either here or elsewhere, which are totally dishonest.

Mr. Allen:A donkey is always a donkey.

Mr. Kenny: I have rarely heard such rubbish as the Taoiseach’s defence of this system.

The Taoiseach: The Deputy does not like the truth.

Mr. Kenny: He has blamed the consultants, he has blamed the health boards, he has blamed the workers and he has blamed the nurses for not working regular hours.

Ms O. Mitchell: He has blamed Fine Gael.

The Taoiseach: I have not blamed anyone.

I think that’s part of the problem Bertie.

It’s not an IT system now. But wait:

The Taoiseach: …The ICT system in question——

Ms Burton: The Taoiseach said earlier that it is not an IT system.

The Taoiseach: ——was procured following an EU tendering process and international evaluations.

Ms Burton: He said it a few minutes ago.

Truly great leadership we have.

One thought on “On the waste of money”

  1. Bertie really is confused. Am I alone in thinking that most politicians are still getting stuffed brown envelopes on a regular basis. Some of the decisions this government is making are simply unfathomable.

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