The magic world of 'Policyland'

During a debate in the Dail yesterday on the brutal Neary scandal Mary Harney performed the ultimate Pontius Pilot act.

‘The Health Service Executive (HSE) now has responsibility for operational matters. However, I am more than willing to answer policy questions’

Policy?? Well, policy is like discussing metaphysics. Any one tiny point can be endlessly discussed. After hours of such productive waffle, everybody packs up and goes home for lunch, no harm done. No responsibility, no decisions, no worries.

‘What did you do at work today Mommy?’ I discussed policy honey and that’s what I’ll be doing tomorrow and every other day of my very “rewarding’ life.

What’s policy Mommy? It’s a magical world, honey, where special humans can enjoy lots of money, power and privilege without having to face and deal with the horrible things that happen to real people in the real world.

Operational matters?? Matters like the brutal mutilation of dozens of women, billions lost through corruption and incompetence, the theft of millions from the elderly over a 27 year period, the taking of children’s organs without permission, the suffering of thousands forced to lie on trolley’s or fight for chairs while they wait endlessly for treatment. These are just some of the “operational matters’ that the HSE are thought capable of dealing with while Mary waffles on about policy.

Here’s an example of capability within the HSE. Recently, they were asked the most basic question any organisation can be asked – How many people do you employ?

Answer,

‘We don’t know and we believe it will be years before we can figure out the exact number’

Enough said.