Why Harney is as helpless as the rest to deal with hospitals crisis

IT’S 2005, maybe year 13 of the Celtic Tiger. Fantastic growth, incredible wealth, Ireland leaping up the economic league tables.

And people are on radio offering cabins to help accommodate and treat sick people, offering to supply the bedding, carpeting, furniture on a charitable basis. And other people are on radio to protest when the hospitals can't deal with this generosity, can't include it in their planning.

Meanwhile, nurses are protesting outside accident and emergency departments, while patients queue inside. In year 13 of the Celtic Tiger.