Sir, – Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has warned health officials that "heads will roll" if the latest initiative to address hospital overcrowding does not succeed ("Varadkar warns on overcrowding", September 15th).
Wishful thinking, I suggest, unless Mr Varadkar has a plan which will result in public-sector workers being fired for poor performance. Until this comes to pass, then the powerful public-sector trade unions will continue to be the power behind the throne. This was demonstrated when the public sector unions cornered €550 million of the €750 million upper limit the Government had earmarked for increased public spending next year. This despite reforms and productivity items paid for but not delivered appearing once again in the Lansdowne Road agreement.
Some would suggest this was simply an exercise in buying votes but in so doing the Government has further ceded power to the public-sector trade unions.
The only way for the Government to wrest power back is to ensure, as in the real world, that employees are held accountable and can be fired for poor performance. I do not see this happening.
I can, however, see the Lansdowne Road agreement being replaced in a few years by a new deal once again containing many reforms and productivity items paid for but not delivered.
Heads will roll indeed! – Yours, etc,
DONAL O’SULLIVAN,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.