O’ Malley controversy - Minister’s Competence questionable

Tim O’Malley, the minister of state with responsibility for mental health, came under sustained pressure yesterday to reconsider his position following his reckless allegation that medical consultants have deliberately kept waiting lists artificially high.

He effectively called into question not only the medical integrity of consultants, but also the competence of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in stating that 3,000 children under the age of 16 years are on waiting lists to obtain psychiatric assessment. Challenged to produce evidence to support his allegation, Mr O’Malley said that he was waiting for the HSE to validate its waiting lists. In relation to other matters on Monday’s Prime Time programme he excused his failings on the grounds that he has only been in the ministerial office for four years, and it would be wrong to blame him for the failings of 20 or 30 years.

While blaming him for the waiting lists might, or might not, be fair, surely it was not too much to expect that after four years in office the Minister of State should know what he was talking about. While he dithers unfortunate children are being denied a vital opportunity in life and their hard-pressed parents are being ignored.