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Updated 11.40pm
A VISIBLY EMOTIONAL James Reilly promised that concerns raised in relation to the deaths of four babies at Portlaoise Hospital in recent years “will be addressed in full” during a Dáil debate earlier.
The Minister for Health was responding to a Topical Issue raised by several TDs who met Mark and Roisin Molloy, who lost their son Mark 22 minutes after he was born in January 2012.
It took a jury just five minutes to rule it as a case of medical misadventure. His case was one of four that featured on a Prime Time programme broadcast last week that found issues surrounding baby deaths and the level of care at Portlaoise Hospital in recent years.
Speaking to TDs, Reilly said that was “very disturbing” the way the hospital dealt with patients’ families and said this had to change. He thanked the Molloys and other parents for “the time you gave me to tell your story and your concerns”.
“They will be addressed, and they will be addressed in full,” the visibly emotional Minister concluded.
Among those who raised the issue were the Reform Alliance deputy Lucinda Creighton who suggested the cases may highlight that Ireland is not one of the safest places in the world to have a baby. Fine Gael chairman and local TD Charlie Flanagan called for a review of staffing levels at the hospital.
Another TD who raised the issue, Reform Alliance’s Denis Naughten, was not impressed by Reilly’s brief, time-limited response:
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If the government can’t run the country effectively with the coffers overflowing, it doesn’t augur well for us when the hard times come!
@Brian Hunt: Imagine what our infrastructures will be like then!!! Hospitals, roads, trains, houses, mad altogether how far behind we are. Listening to the radio this morning they’re celebrating the fact that Garda can now check if a driver is disqualified or not… like for the last 100 years the haven’t been able to… bonkers, 100% we’re ‘Western Block’ of Europe. Embarrassing stuff.
@Thesaltyurchin: Couldn’t agree more!
@Brian Hunt: now Mr. Chambers how did we get here!!!!!!!!
@Brian Hunt: our coffers are the opposite to overflowing
@Dman: Mr Chambers is paid very handsomely for fixing problems, I am not. You on the other hand are paid to push the official narrative!
@barry lyons: The exchequer has been running a surplus for the last few years!
@Mr Inbetween: facts would say different. 260 billion in debt and sending money all over the place to make us look flush. When the hard times come it will be quickly.
@Brian Hunt: how can Ireland be recording a surplus when it’s national debt is 300 billion
@Brian Molloy: The national debt is aside from the day to day running of the country. If the government takes in €100 billion in taxes and spends €80 billion, the exchequer is €20 billion in surplus, immaterial to the amount of the national debt. The interest on the national debt is paid out of annual expenditure!
Ah right so basically something for you to blame for your failed policies for the next 5 years.
@Darren Cooney: We all knew the corporate tax cash cow was going to dry up eventually and yet the govt. have done absolutely nothing about it.
@Darren Cooney: No ,something for the half a heads in here to blame the government on(along with everything else)…..I’m surprised the earthquake in Myanmar is not ffg’s fault as well.Thankfully we don’t have Sf/IRA or the student union politics of the other crowds in government as they’d make whatever is coming way worse.
@Dman: ‘have done nothing about it’?….like what?
@Darren Cooney: the real problem of politician beside incompetence is the fact that their expenses are covered and also basically no accountability.
we should reform that crooked system. I will vote for whoever come with a plan like that.
@John Paul: yet another brain dead take. Same ṣĥīť, different name.
@Ross: So you think the opposition would have had a different 100 billion income stream (with 100000 jobs)waiting in the side lines in case this happened?……it’s you that’s brain dead.
@John Paul: tell me where I said any of that before? Fabricating points to make your own argument. Such a pathetic existence.
@Ross: Well what’s the brain dead comment then?…..what did I say to warrant it?……and it was very much implied by you.
@John Paul: perhaps boost the tourism industry which had been neglected so badly over the last 5 years. Perhaps invest in clean energy to boost the expansion of data centres. Perhaps create centres of excellence for R&D throughout the country. It’s Friday so I have the Friday feeling but hopefully this helps.
@John Paul: At least you won’t be able to blame Sinn Fein when Ireland’s economy goes down the plughole!
@Dman: They have also destroyed tourism and sacrificed it to the €1billion/pa scammigration industry. Just one sample below.
@Mike Dunne: don’t be so sure mike. They always find a way.
@Thomas Sheridan: NGO scamigrants industry of 36,000 NGO/Quangos have received over 8.6 Billions per year from Irish taxpayers and in the process government policy had destroyed tourism into the bargain.
@Dman: I may have misunderstood your post, if I have I apologise!
@Dman: with Easter approaching would we put “All our eggs in one basket” be over simplifying it. For decades we trusted our fate to a benign USA. Now the Irish American vote is finished this error is being revealed and they the permanent government and FFG don’t appear to have planned for this possibility or how to manage it either. On a brighter note, as we have given ngos hundreds of millions over the years, perhaps they will bail us out if the worst comes to pass.
@John Paul: no forward plannning for the possibility that economic shocks are coming. Their rainy day funds only began only a few years ago but nothing done to reign in squandering money on vanity projects. Perhaps we could have our department of public expenditure or auditor general should investigate the wastage in our finances.
He’s right about the tariffs etc. That coupled with FFG incompetence means we’re in for a rough ride.
@Fergus O’Donnell: have to agree to an extent, but what are the options? Stick with the current parties who rob other countries tax and revenue or go with a political movement who just literally rob banks.
@Darius Guppy: To win “they are giving me freebies” virtue signalling votes taxes were used to create a giant Social Welfare Incubator that has created a massive work adverse subculture. We need low skilled jobs to help people physically and mentally.
@Fergus O’Donnell: We are but they will be okay.
I’m sure when the crap hits the fan Donohoe will be extremely concerned as he rides off into the sunset along with his other cohorts with a bulging pension and a cushy number with some big multinational
@Greagoir O Duinn: There will be some juicy numbers for fellas like him representing vulture funds soon enough, when the next massive transfer of wealth kicks off.
@Greagoir O Duinn: that exactly it they are concerned they love the word concerned they use it all the time but in reality it means the complete opposite because they don’t really give one bit as their pockets have been well lined massive pension expenses paid massive salaries but great actors at the same time , they have the country destroyed
@Greagoir O Duinn: Leo saw this coming
I am sure our politicians will do well and survive. you can see they still discuss about serious things like independent speech.
their expenses will always cover. the rest of the talk is just to look good toward us.
but hey as long as Michael has his trip and lugh at Donald’s joke. all is good !!!
This was coming but they all had their heads buried in the sand as per usual everything left at the last minute pumping out money giving it away to every single other country in the world when they knew there was an economic crisis coming to Ireland shame on the government
@Bren: Building castles on sand!
@Brian Hunt: for 100%
fffg are more worried about the Irish will turn on them because of the last 20 years of waist and mismanagement of tax payers money will be exposed when the recession kicks in as their no back up plan A.B. or C.just been make it up as you go alone like house building numbers and kids never ending building hospital
@jn: I hope we kept the receipt for the bike shed. Send it back/get a refund, lol, and make a saving.
@Keth 417: We may sell off the new children’s hospital as we won’t be able to afford to finish it.
@Keth 417: That’s what the whole SIPO scandal was about, how it was neutered by FG with O’Donnohue holding responsibility over the ethics legislation and public office standards body?
Successive Irish Governments have been warned for years about an over reliance on corporate tax receipts but yet the warnings were not heeded.
The same thing happened in the boom, governments were warned about a property bubble and failed to heed the warnings.
Wake up!
It’s going to be the youth, the poor and people who don’t own their own homes who pay the price for this mess.
@Radical Centrist: Isn’t it always? it’s just really unfortunate that as a people we too stoopy to use all these people to build and support our infrastructures and society.
@Thesaltyurchin: Yeah. We’d rather write comments than actually doing something.
@smatrix mantra: And what are you going to do?
Time to get tough on our social welfare leeches and get the Civil so-called Service to start delivering efficiency for one in their overpaid, consequence free careers
@Paul: pray you never need help so. Dog eat dog.
@Paul: Some day when you grow up, you might begin to understand who the real leeches are. It’s not the ones who make 30 quid a day from doing nothing. It’s the ones who make 5 or 6 million.
@Paul: https://jrnl.ie/6661266
Ugh ogh,somebody doesn’t bother reading, they infact pay for you Irish leeches to spend your hole day on here complaining about them. Deport the job shy racists, welcome in the hardworking immigrants.
@Louis Jacob: I pay 62k a year in tax .
All I see is vast waste.
Lazy idle doleheads and civil servants.
@Franno: getting help is one thing career social welfare spongers is a completely different story. Welfare is help but plenty see it as a right of passage and feel entitled to stay receiving it longterm instead of standing on their own two feet and looking after themselves.
@Paul: sure, the few hundred million will make the difference for the loss of billions…
@Paul: maybe spend some of your earnings educating yourself
@Thomas Meaney: it’s very easy to punch down until you or a relative or friend is in the same position.
@Paul:
It’s the 62k you allegedly pay in taxes that’s really getting you riled up. Most people earn half that amount and still pay taxes. What makes you so special.
@Paul: well that means you’re a good earner and should be well able to afford a great standard of living . Thank you for your contribution. The less well of and services are no doubt grateful
@Brian D’Arcy:Interesting report.
In fairness, anyone taking an interest should read the complete report and not just a soundbite with a particular slant to suit the government sponsor.
@Paul: The hate the average civil service worker gets on here. Most are definitely not overpaid. If they’re it would make people like yourself stu_id for not working in the sector.
The way I see it, the economy is flooded with US money and not all in a good way. Those with jobs in US multinationals have driven house prices up. Alot of 50 -70 k people who may loose their jobs were once employed in other sectors of Irish society that are now lacking in workers, trades people for example.
Not so smug now, Paschal, resting your political laurels on keeping the Irish economy so exposed to ever more frequent global shocks and intentionally failing to prepare our economy for some self sustainability.
how come poland has banned refugees seeking asylum 2 days ago and Ireland has flood gates wide open as you can get,roll on recession lots of these will have to go ,if your asking I been poor all my life and time government started taxing rich and quite hoare farmers probably
@jn: Sounds like you will be poor no matter the circumstances.
It’s funny how the Government fearmongers “hard times” when they themselves act like we got unlimited funding spending our taxes irresponsibly without pause.
2 years ago when the Eu were on their case for Corpo tax increase
The Government said ,,oh my god ,all the multis will leave if we raise the tax ,, resulting in huge job losses
Guess what ,the tax raise came ,and the multi is are still here ,and as was shown with Apple are on a tax evasion mission here , Joe soap HAS TO PAY all his taxes
Our Politicians only want small taxes for the multi’s
Governments, like that of cars and rented property should be tested yearly on performance, and fined to the extent of prohibiting them from running again in the next election should they put the country they husband in peril. If nothing else, like a wavering landlord or uncaring car owner; it would focus said government. For example, this current treat would award 3/10. Anything below 40%, you’re out of the next election automatically.
@Keth 417: Good idea but it would never happen, defeats the point of democracy in people being allowed to be as misinformed as they wish
@Brian D’Arcy: Oh God no, I agree. Never gonna happen. I can dream though. Just imagining a political league table. FF/FG looking like getting the red card for this.
Do something about it so, and stop just making statements that frighten the life out of hard working people.
I insist we do an independent review on all of this so we can get confirmation in 3 years that tariffs are actually going to happen. Luckily we won’t need speaking time for the opposition then as there won’t be a functioning government in anyway, not much difference then than today actually.
Is it overly simplistic for me to think that we re-adjust our cooperation tax to go some way to negating these tarrifs for however long they last ? Would the EU object to that given Trump has declared economic war on the whole bloc. As the tech capital of Europe and the largest medtech employer in Europe, it’s in everybody’s best interest to protect our position.
So stop all immigration and your art of making your FF cronies rich housing them. Keep the millions to look after our own when the tarriff problem arises. The way FFG are going our country will be bankrupt. The debt per capita on each person is €12k more than it was during the crash yet for some reason people seem to assume we are a wealthy country.
Just wait until he finds out about the “double Irish”….
Get list FFG scaremongering covid style
He’s trying to scare us !
And many people will fall for it
Whatever about their incompetence as a Govt,. to even say this is admitting that they have lost control and worse, it will spook financial markets and foreign investors. It is not as if we didn’t have enough problems at the moment.
I reckon the best way to predict the state of this country is to see how many bicycle sheds and free money they are giving away to their mates, in order to insulate them from any future financial crises.
These guys can’t run the country effectively when we’re awash with money. Completely by design. Wait for the sh!t sh0w when the next recession hits.
Government jumping on this now for an excuse for yet another term of diabolical governance
Woe, who would have thought using an economic policy from the 1950′s would be do problematic? Anyone with a brain and yet entrepreneurs are foced overseas to gdt any help, what a sham of a country, one of dreamers and schemers and guess who are the ones in power but those who vote for them don’t stop complaining after voting them in, a special type of people.
The $hit is going to hit the fan,big time, government won’t be throwing money around like confetti then.
Many people here are of the opinion that workers, (human) workers here are more qualified than those in the States in working in the pharma & I.T fields. Maybe true. This might stave off a move back to the States this time round, if to a degree, but what of A.I. & robot manufacturing, when it evolves into adequate fruition in ten years time? Whatever way one looks at it, a move back to the States, in whole or in part, is inevitable. Ireland needs to start planning medium to long term.
@Keth 417: A rare truth, one of the main reasons the US have invested in Ireland is the skilled work force we offer!
@Liam O’ Ceallaigh: Certainly one of the two to three pillars for investing, yes. I envision a possible scenario where, should said companies move back to the States, they might bring a modicum of the workforce with them also, if on a temporary basis, to train the US workforce. That’s what I’d do.
Ups and downs ha ha the ups are for them and the downs are for us what’s new?
Just listened to an excellent interview on Midlands 103 radio with MEP Ciaran Mulloly who spoke a lot of sense on tariffs, impact on our economy and failings of government in this regard.
Lateral thought: Instead of Greenland becoming 51st State, Ireland incorporated into the USA. Instant fix!
Its MAGA time baby here it comes sit back and watch Ireland absolutely implode.
@Rian O’Sullivan: you probably don’t work so it won’t affect you
@eoin fitzpatrick: Incorrect Eoin but I guess you have heard that time and time again since you were a kid.
@Rian O’Sullivan: cheerleading ordinary people going through hardship. Sick. I hope whatever befalls Ireland happens hardest and fastest to you personally.
@Franno: Silence Incel
Why is Ireland always the outlier and the one always at risk? It’s because we have gambling politicians and they love inflicting pain on the taxpayers of Ireland. Pr!€ks
Jack Chambers has done absolutely nothing to try and make Ireland more competitive in the global market. Instead, he’s just continued to raise taxes, whether it’s income, inheritance or property, Ireland now has the third-highest personal tax burden in the European Union. The government knew this was going to happen eventually but they’ve simply sat on their hands. Countries cannot rely on a single source of revenue (corporation tax) and expect to remain prosperous forever. If we are going to survive this latest fallout from tariffs, we need to make Ireland an attractive place for those who create businesses and generate wealth, not just the multinational companies. The government needs to abolish inheritance tax, axe the capital gains tax and implement a 20% flat income tax on all people.
@William Jennings: please do share your calculations regarding the € effect of abolishing CGT and Inheritance Tax, and having a flat 20% rate of income tax – let’s firstly consider years 1 to 5, so short to medium term. I have a back of a fag packet and a pencil should you need it
@Kev Kerr: Sure thing. Inheritance Tax brings in €1.2 billion a year. CGT brings in about €860 million a year. Restructuring the Income Tax brackets into a flat 20% rate would roughly cost about €4.7 billion a year. The simple solution to cover these costs is to privatise and abolish the HSE, which has a €27 billion budget every year. We’d still have plenty left over. Instead of people paying into a tax pool which is distributed to hospitals, consumers would pay hospitals directly for their services. Hospitals would be forced to compete with one another for patients and people would be able to shop around and choose from menu-style plans that cater to their income level. The HSE is a black hole for taxpayer money and it’s time to stop the extortionist theft of people’s earnings in Ireland.
Ireland is always at risk of toppling! Cost of living and house prices, to much long term borrowing that always leads to lots of people struggling later on down the road, monthly outgoings doesnt match monthly salaries in lots of cases
This lot are great at stating the blatantly obvious but are no great help in sorting the issues out.
This guy should be leading FG.
@honey badger: Crooked Paschal up to his neck in it. Couldn’t lie straight in bed. More shady deals than Del Boy. Right up your street.
@Anthony Curran: Says the guy who laughed off child groomers and abusers in SF. Sit down, son.
@honey badger: Aren’t you the guy who supports a regime responsible for the murder of over 18,000 children? I’ll take no lectures from a sadist like you.
@Anthony Curran: Of course, your indifference to child groomers and abusers in your own country in a party you support can be ignored because of a war in the middle east. Another moment of clarity from Fr Tony.
@Anthony Curran: Somebody had to clear out the trash and looks like they are doing a stand up job over there.
@honey badger: All child abuse is abhorrent and all child abusers are evil beyond belief. Do you class the extermination of over 18,000 Palestinian children as child abuse or are you still indifferent to it Honey Shill? You are allowed criticise the evil Netanyahu regime. It’s not antisemitic to do so.
@honey badger: Every time you bring this same lie up, that I’m indifferent to child abuse. And every time I tell you I am not. But I suppose it’s just a tactic you use, throw enough mud to see if some sticks.
@Anthony Curran: Like you, I won’t engage in specifics. I absolutely condemn the killing of all children in all wars. I would remind you that it’s also OK to criticise your party for their actions. It’s not anti- republican to do so. (See how neither of us actually said anything?)
@honey badger: I would remind you it’s not a war. The Ukrainian conflict is a war. This is a slaughter of innocents.
So…. The Trump visit is on or off? I mean, he owes us big time for that Shamrock. Not to mention the bowl.
Yes spend all our the money on houses for who and nothing else.
These affected companies be better off charging less for their products and finding new customers away from America. Rather than being pressurised to relocate wich costs them billions. Or is that too simplistic?
The government has known for years, at least since Trump was first elected that this was going to happen, if not even earlier, given the divide and polarisation in American politics.
It beggers belief that they are worried now when a proper government would have been working to find out ways to alleviate any shocks that could harm the country’s economic well being.
But again, both FF and FG did absolutely zilch apart from bury their heads in the sand and hope the problem looming on the horizon would pass them by.
@AnthonyK: Not really. Trump is a pathological liar. He’ll say everything thing and only do a tiny amount. Often with little success. He already rolled back on Canada tariffs, lies with the Panama canal, invade Mexico, put the US flag on Mars, etc etc.
@AnthonyK: No government has that much leeway. You are simplifying the realities. Re-arranging the economic priorities is extremely complex, takes a few decades at a minimum and is likely to meet serious resistance from business sectors, taxpayers, voters, etc. Also, who thought even the American voters would be dumb enough to vote him in again!!!
How often did your mother warn you not to put all your eggs in one basket?
Any who’s doing was that???
Might I suggest, if this scenario happens, that the government, populace and philosophers alike, use this as a lesson/dry run test before full A.I./Robot implementation kicks in. Ask yourself this: What job/career ‘cannot’ be done more efficiently by A.I./robots? Do I have time/ability to change, up-skill my work, re-direct my education? Think laterally.
Put all your eggs in the FDI basket what else do you expect to happen. Stifled small Irish natives and enterprises with a myriad of taxes but charge multinationals only 15% whilst average Irish workers pay taxed over 52%.
@Ailbhe MacThomais: How is it politicians and ‘experts,’ seem to think that stating the obvious -13 years after everyone else has noticed – is equivalent to a solution.
Jack, Micheal, Simon & co.: what are you going to do about it?
Preparing us for their bungling incompetence?
Too late now, could have easily predicted this years ago.
Jack is trying to tell the people of Ireland, something they have known since Trump was elected..His boss Mehole had not got the courage to say something to Donald..except here is a bowl of Shamrock
The chicken has come home to roost.
Time to hand up the money…..
*Employers Liability Insurance window slides closed
What every EU finance minister is saying.
@Numinous20111: given they knew this was on the horizon it was within the government’s gift to send people to the Republican conventions to speak with Trump’s people and get a sense of how they could meet them halfway.
Instead, the FF and FG government copied up to the Democrats.
Remember, Reagan was Irish as well.
And while Trump has criticised Reagan etc he still holds him in high regard.
I once worked in I.T. I remember this meme going around of a homeless man holding up a piece of greasy cardboard with the words scrawled on it reading ‘Will code Delphi for food’. Man…not funny. Btw, i was crap at the job (sorry boss), but the coffee was free, and pizza now and then.
I have the solution invite more into the country and add to the housing crisis. Sovled.
Yanks destroyed Ireland anyway – let them feck off and leave us get back to red hair, toothless drunks and ass and carts. Oh, and potholes too. That Intel site would make a great bowling alley.
We won’t have to worry too much as Donald Trump will take over the country and we will be the whatever number state of the USA.
This is annoying as they always blame the “open economy” for poor management practices
We are doomed. Doooommmmmed
A bunch of self righteous millennials who never worked a hard day’s graft in their life
@martin lawlor: This intergenerational shite talk never ends, does it? But one thing is certain of a certain generation who never had it so good and past down a society, an economy and a physical world that is undeniably worse off for the younger generation inheriting it. Work will set us free, right?
The US is entitled to do this.
Take those jobs home and employ their own people
We rely too much on foreign direct investment which is not sustainable.
“I know words. I have the best words”, said Trump and we just can’t compete with this level of intellect here in Europe.
The recession we had to have. Who said that?
And the Poles or Hungarians won’t take us in.
Wonder will the children’s hospital ever open? Not looking good.
Looks like the new Irish are in for a rough ride.
have your say