Madam, - When teaching students about the theory and practice of decision-making, I usually point out to them that there are sometimes situations where any decision, even one with a suboptimal outcome, is better than a continuing state of no decision.
In this context, the announcement, however well motivated, by Crumlin Children's Hospital that it will not cooperate with the HSE on the proposed new children's hospital on the Mater site has a depressingly familiar ring. Prof Drumm is right. The Irish health sector has, for far too long, been hamstrung by faction fighting, by the political manoeuvring of sectoral and local interests as they defend their respective patches, and by a simple unwillingness to compromise. The result is an over-administered, expensive and fragmented health service of which the three children's hospitals are but one symptom.
The HSE has done its homework and, based on expert advice, made a decision. The primary impact of the attempt by Crumlin to, in effect, sabotage this decision, will be to condemn yet another generation of sick children to the present unsatisfactory situation while the arguments continue.
It is time to put the squabbling behind and move on. - Yours, etc,
FRANK E. BANNISTER, Morehampton Terrace, Dublin 4.
Madam, - I have just heard the Minister for Health, Ms Mary Harney, give a robust and persuasive defence of the selection of the Mater Hospital site for the new National Children's Hospital.
That said, the arguments of those who favoured siting of this hospital in Crumlin were just as persuasive.
It would be too cynical, I suppose, to suggest that the clinching argument in this debate was the one that was not mentioned: the Mater Hospital is in the Taoiseach's constituency. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN McMAHON, Elmwood, Naas, Co Kildare.