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THE MINISTER FOR Finance Michael Noonan is meeting with his French counterpart Christine Lagarde at a summit of eurozone finance ministers in Luxembourg today.
As finance ministers focused on the debt crisis afflicting Greece, it is reported on the Irish Times website that Noonan and Lagarde are meeting amid hopes that the issue of getting Ireland a cut on its EU/IMF bailout interest rate can be resolved before Lagarde - the likely next head of the IMF – leaves the finance ministry in Paris.
The paper quotes source as saying that talks to cut a deal on reducing the interest Ireland have intensified in recent days as hopes remain that the matter can be concluded.
It is widely thought that the attitude of Nicolas Sarkozy will be pivotal to the prospects of a deal with the French president previously indicating that a cut would not be possible without Ireland raising its corporation tax rate.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said that Ireland has the support of Germany for a reduction on the interest rate having held talks with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle in Luxembourg today, according to Newstalk.
Expectations that Ireland would get a one per cent cut on its interest rate have been lowered in recent weeks with the latest indications that the cut will be around 0.6 per cent, which would be worth about €150 million to the exchequer.
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So the HSE got a heads up that included a strategy and it was not acted upon. HSE boss knew this and did nothing? Heads need to roll, people need to resign, pensions should be forfeited. Who needs a pension in jail anyway?
@Ciaran De Bhal: 100% agree Ciaran…
But his buddy Simon wants to wait a few more weeks before doing anything so he can get his big lump some and pension….
@Ciaran De Bhal: Unfortunately heads won’t roll. They never do. Like looks after like.
@Ciaran De Bhal: in his own words, people need to be held accountable. It should start with him
@Ciaran De Bhal: this country is been run like a prison – they are the prison guards and we are the prisoners – the only difference is we have a bigger yard like FFS they are getting away with murder – literally – the REAL prisons around the world are modeling them self’s like the Irish ECONOMY and political system – its NUTS
@Ciaran De Bhal: ITS MUCH SAME AS GARDAI IN IRELAND..
O brien and harris knew this was coming,both should be gone by 12 tonight.they tried to cover it up,had material ready for pr spin,come on.17 lives lost,RIP.
@@mdmak33: well stated! Minister Harris has been hanging on in the hope that something would come up to save O Brien. He did not come clean about the contents of the memo. Both should resign.
@@mdmak33:
A certain Leo Varadker was minister for health from July 2014 to May 2016, I wonder what he might have known.
@@mdmak33: Cover what up? The fact that screening tests are never and can never be 100% accurate. The scandal here is that the women involved were not informed that their previous smears had been included as part of a review post cervical cancer diagnosis. That’s not a cover up, its poor HSE management.
@Damon16: sorry the government are the employers and the buck reaches all the way to Harris and Varadker all the spin units in the world can’t cover the viciousness of those in power desire to prevent the focus being on Leo’s inability to lead – A failed Minister now looking a watery lightweight Taoiseach
@Mary King: I’m wondering about that myself after all Leo is always vocal on issues and not a squeak out of him in an issue that is costing women their lives…
@Mary King: wonder- he is aloof from normal people that he may believe its an illusion
@Kerry Blake: I wonder why…….
@Mary King: Yes.Now over to you Michael.Time to pull the plug?
@@mdmak33: Leo needs to go also. If a dog farts on the street these cute hoors know about it. They are involved up to their eyeballs.
As I stated yesterday, tip of the iceberg………
@Michael Byrne: Agreed but watch what happens in the next 48-72 hours…either full accountability and some falling on their swords to protect a few higher up the pecking order or more probably what has happened many times before in this banana Republic of ours, the government instinct to circle the wagons and hope that the average citizen will mumble and grumble and move along. Not going to happen this time…the average citizen wants action, results, resignations and prosecutions…and quickly.
Basically the memo stated that there would be errors made – errors which cost innocent women their lives. Errors that deprive families of a Mother & that’s ok as that’s how ‘international screening programmes’ roll. Not even one life is an acceptable level of risk but the HSE / Govt have an agenda to save costs even if it costs lives. What times we live in. Now all of the political hacks wring their hands & point the blame everywhere but themselves. They are ALL to blame for the horror show unveiled this week but not one of them will pay any price for their decisions, lack of accountability & action. Time has got to be up for Leo / Michael & their coalition of convenience.
@Setrakian: And don’t forget even when they make a mess the HSE fights tooth and nail to the gates of the supreme courts threatening victims with peniary in OUR name on OUR behalf. At the very least it is Corporate manslaughter.
@Austin Rock: spot on Austin – at the very least it’s definitely that. Unreal – all of it.
Only for Vicky Phelan ,non of this would have come out ,how many more years would the public have been kept on the blind side through a gagging order ,which not only benefited the american lab but very conveniently the hse also .no transparency and no acountabilty .surely when we have so many ongoing inquirey s and tribunals, it tell us the state is not fit to govern .whole sale changes needed urgently .
Job vacancy for head of HSE
Requirements
Be aloof
Be cold hearted
Be well in with Leo and FG
Be resolute in denying patients access to the truth about their health
@Tim Brennan: I know it’s only a couple of weeks off…..but surely this guy can’t really ride out the storm any longer????
@Tim Brennan: and when the poo hits the fan do NOT resign under any circumstances….
@Frank Dubogovik: he’s gone!!!!!!
Deny, deny, deny. It’s typical of the mentality of people in a position such as Tony o’Brien. They were squabbling over who was to blame in order to avoid having to pay compensation while the health of women with cervical cancer got progressively worse & a number of women, who knows exactly how many, have died. Shame on him & others like him.
Well, have you had enough of this? Enough of the scandals? Enough of the lies and spin? Enough of neoliberalism where public services are an inconvience to government? Enough of people dying because FG don’t believe you’re worth spending one cent of public money on? Enough of people being homeless, or not able to afford a home or rent because the so called “market” is rigged to favour the private developer, vulture funds banks and anyone else connected with that gravy train.
Yet there is no shortage of money for TDs and their pensions. No shortage of debt write downs for Denis the menance, or contracts. No sanctions on thieving banks. No tax on the 10s of millions profit Vultures make as parasites. No shortage of writedowns on people’s home for them. Writedowns not available for those in mortgage trouble. No shortage of money for O’Sullivan or Calinan. No shortage of money for inquiries, commissions, tribunals and the legal eagles that cling to them. No shortage of money for Leo’s personal spin machine. Or Teirney of IW, and IW itself Billions for a defunct billing quango. Don’t forget they have already in place the means through legislation to start privatising the water resource. That’s to come down the line yet.
If the government won’t get rid of O Brien, Harris, and those in the HSE that need to go, then it’s time for FG to go. Nothing else will do or these debacles, these scandals, will continue.
@Dave Doyle: bang on Dave. I’m well past having enough of these right wing neoliberal parasites. After the bank guarantee I swore I’d never vote FF again. After that shameless attempt to sell the water we bathe our children, I swore I’d never vote FG or Liebour again.
This is the smoking gun, this O’brien chancer is culpable. His pension is an insult to women of Ireland.
Bet he was too busy serving on boards of companies to actually do the job the Irish people paid him to do. Sickening.
Keep voting FFG, plebs.
@Dave Doyle: Very well said.
@Dave Doyle: Well said I feel and share your pain
@Dave Doyle: Well said..
@Dave Doyle: spot on dave, speaking in the dail you should be, mind you no point when the audience are a bunch of chancers and dullards.
@Dave Doyle: SO YOU THINK ITS ALL DOWN TO NEOLIBERALISM MMMM
Someone should ask Tony O’Brien, What exactly is it you do in your position in the health service?
@Sam Cairns: followed by,…. given how important your job is, how do you have time to dedicate to board positions on health care companies?
How is this pr1ck not in jail let alone still in a job
@Paul Heffernan: In jail for what exactly?
@Damon16: the manslaughter of innocent women, fraud collusion to commit a crime! Paul did you read the memo?
Finally, the smoking gun..
Tony O Brien and the 3 failed ministers for health have to go
It needs to be put in black and white that this man was dismissed from his job due to incompetence. He does not deserve a cent for his handling of this situation. The government also need to go – they can not stand over this scandal, it’s an insult to every individual and family affected.
Tony, I’m putting you on my list of enemies. There, you are in for it now Tony. Ha , only joking look what I have written
You will get a big pension, go on multiple boards around the world in relation to medical deals you probably negotiated with vested interests and wait till the smoke blows over with the help of a hse media team who hope it leaves the front pages.
I really like Tony.
Fire anyone involved, no pensions for any of them and drag them to court. This is a disgusting thing to happen and so many families torn apart and Tony O’Brien couldn’t give a toss. Listening to him on the news angers me.
Ran all over Europe paying back bond holders and saddled the country with debt. To think what competent people could have done with that money. Having said that tony and co (unions) would have phished it all down the drain as usual. Its time unions were removed, upper management sacked. People held accountable including ministers and for gods sake stop the gravy train that is the public service.
This man’s arrogance is staggering
Regardless of his culpability, in my 50 years I honestly have never seen a Chief executive who shows so little regard for what has happened on his watch and who comes across as being arrogant , rude and condescending towards anyone that questions him, regardless of the cost to the state this ignoramus has to get the heave ho and show that we don’t stand for this level of disregard for the mood of the Irish People
The arrogance and indifferent attitude to peoples lives is frightening. This is way beyond heads rolling, resigning and pension forfeiture. This is high level criminal activity by individuals in positions of trust and it should be the Garda who are called in to investigate.
Leo was front and centre during the Red weather alert…..now there’s a whole different, much more serious alert, where is he?
@Bob Harrison: He’S showing his true colours , all front for the cameras when it’s Hollywood stuff , and hides in the background when it concerns real life issues .
Fine Gael will die on this one and good riddance…..
@Paul MacNulty: not a hope too many rich people in this country and aristocratic farmers
@Tim Brennan: Less rich than normal people…
@Paul MacNulty: Sadly Paul it will be women in Ireland who will die because of this and nobody else……
@Tim Brennan: NOT MANY ARISTOCRATIC FARMERS IN IRELAND MY FRIEND.. GO DOWN THE COUNTRY SOME TIME..
Thoughts and prayers for all the victims of this scandal and their families. Our prayers should also include a fervent plea for justice and for a practical .. as in financial …. penalty to be imposed on ALL who were complicit in this murky debacle. There is nothing complicated about it, but we will be told otherwise. Resist the contrived explanations that we will no doubt have to endure, hoping that time will erode painful memories of such disrespect for human dignity.
Zappone Snaps all up for o Brien and now question is why did Leo know about this memo!!!!
Very bad
Memo heading was Next Steps. I didn’t see resign on the list. What a disgrace. They operated like a private business trying to limit damage from criminal misconduct. That memo sums up the state of Ireland.
Its astonishing and unbelievable they weren’t aware of such a monumental issue when there was a memo circulating about it a few years ago.
This story has more road to go ?
Does the minister for Health every get an briefing for the head of the HSE – hard to believe – if he didn’t get briefings he was not doing his job And the compliment media fail ask for political accountability?
Leo and Harris along with O’Brien are all guilty if murder and attempted murder by corruption and should be all tried for treason and fired from there jobs as they’re just as guilty as O’Brien for the cover ups so they all must go
Should be arrested for manslaughter pension taken off him, & Leo knew all about it over the years & should resign
Some countries have scrapped screening programmes, not because they don’t work, but when they inevitably miss things – in this case not cancer but microscopic changes which may or may not indicate a problem.
When that happens everyone wants heads to roll, and people to be held to account, and everyone gets sued.
No screening programme no lawsuits, no heads rolling, no headlines.
More women will die, but hey, at least the non screening programme will be 100% reliable and everyone can go back to certainty, which is far more comfortable. Useless, but comfortable.
The HSE (and most Public bodies) and its employees take they the US and THEM view of the World. The US are victims because THEM do not understand the complexities of the HSE. The reality is THEM are shocked, angry and mad as hell and make no mistake ultimately heads will roll. The US just shrug their uncaring shoulders and wish THEM would just go away.
If the political heads know nothing about anything they should have known that’s what they are paid for
@Tim Brennan: GUYS WE elect are useless , its starts from us voter, we get suckered by their promises and bs.. remember mary harney of EXPENSES FAME N OLD BERTIE..Next week it will be brexit and no one them realise the DUP want nothing do do with them…healy rreas will mouth all over the media and we will never go near Keery becuase of them,
Leo and Harris along with O’Brien are all guilty if murder and attempted murder by corruption and should be all tried for treason and fired from there jobs as they’re just as guilty as O’Brien for the cover ups so they all must go.
He’s gone nothing to do with good government more heads should roll FF bring down the government now
Why wait for O’Brien to resign?
‘SACK HIM’!!!
Government needs to man/women up here sack the guy first thing in the morning FF have a BIG roll here come on Micheal lets see what your made off or are the polls more important
The lack of compassion is awful. I am devastated for these women and their families. The whole health system needs an overhaul. Humanity and professionalism needs to be brought to healthcare.
Now let us, one by one, know the identity of the culprits who made the decision to “drip drip” vital health information to women and play “god” with their lives.The Director is gone but the people who connived to keep a rotten system functioning by threatening legal action are still in situ. Get rid of the HSE asap.
After creating this campaign to help HSE staff deflect from this scandal it was added at the bottom of each email, memo, and leaflet SHHH! NO ONE TELL THE MINISTER OF HEALTH! He can’t know any of this is going on! That goes for the next one as well!
Why is Simon Harris surviving this terrible scandal when Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald had to fall on her sword. The situations seem comparable to me. Surely we don’t put reputations ahead of women’s lives? Or could it be that she was the wrong gender?? John
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