Madam, - The existing social partnership agreement is strangling the Government's ability to solve the healthcare crisis.
Aidan Gleeson (Opinion & Analysis, May 24th) asserts that bed availability must increase to improve the efficiency of the health service. But how can the number of available beds be increased if there are not enough nurses to take care of the patients in those beds?
We don't have enough nurses because they are not paid enough and, certainly in Dublin, nurses have difficulty continuing with their chosen careers for financial reasons.
Is there a solution? Yes: remove the nurses from this social partnership agreement, pay them properly, fill the empty beds and take care of the sick. The Minister would then no longer have to worry about the trolley spectacle.
- Yours, etc,
ERIC C.O'BRIEN, Howth, Co Dublin.
Madam, - On opening the editorial pages of your edition of May 24th I found an article headed, "Bed access crisis at heart of trouble with A&E", by Aidan Gleeson of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association. Nothing new there, then. Below it I saw: "Asylum system lacks fairness, transparency", by Peter O'Mahony, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council. Well, blow me down.
But hark! On the Letters page: "Harney's hospital programme". What? A letter praising Mary Harney's vision and courage - from a surgeon. Well, I never. And there was me thinking they were all imbued with Maurice Neligan's satirical frenzy. By Jove! Reasoned and rational, rather than arrogant and egotistical.
Mary Harney has great support for her plans because she is putting patients first. Long may she prosper.
- Yours, etc,
BRENDAN CARROLL, Ballydowd Grove, Lucan, Co Dublin.