Madam, - I read with interest the Taoiseach's remarks about hospital consultants (The Irish Times, October 8th). In the course of a speech to health service administrators, Mr Ahern said that he was sick of senior doctors complaining about the state of the health service. In his opinion such behaviour should warrant an immediate "red card".
In my view these comments are simply disgraceful. Doctors have a duty to their patients to highlight the appalling conditions that exist in many of our hospitals. This tradition of "advocacy" obviously causes difficulty for health service admnistrators, as their ineptitude quickly becomes apparent. And it seems the Taoiseach would seemingly rather shoot the messenger than deal with the real issues.
It is a pity that Mr Ahern is unwilling to confront the culture of administrative incompetence that exists in our health service. I would suggest that the bungling bureaucrats who have squandered billions of euro while patients suffered on trolleys are far more worthy of a "red card" than the clinicians who have dedicated their lives to treating illness. - Yours, etc,
Dr RUAIRI HANLEY, Francis Street, Drogheda, Co Louth.
Madam, - Having recently been advised by the Taoiseach that I am on twice his salary and that it's a pity I don't "try working", my wife was wondering where the money is and where the heck I am all the time? Maybe the Taoiseach might be kind enough to explain this to her. - Yours, etc,
Dr PEADAR GILLIGAN, Beaumont Hospital, Road Dublin 9.
Madam, - I see that the Taoiseach believes hospital consultants earn twice his income. Would this be before or after dig-outs? - Yours, etc,
HUGH RAMSAY, Trees Road, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.