Politicians pandering to healthcare fears

THERE was no room for basic civility. When Enda Kenny stepped from his vehicle in Athlone last Monday, he saw his fellow TD, Luke “Ming” Flanagan, and approached him. Flanagan was among a large group of people protesting at the scheduled downgrading of A&E facilities at Roscommon Hospital.

Kenny appeared to be on the point of extending his hand for a civil greeting to a fellow parliamentarian, but Flanagan was having none of it. He might shake hands with the Taoiseach in the corridors of Leinster House, but out here, surrounded by his constituents, he was having none of that. Out here, surrounded by his constituents, he had to present himself as the local hero, standing up to the centralised powers who care not a whit for the plain people of Roscommon.

It later emerged that at a meeting with HSE officials the previous week, Flanagan told an official that if he were in the official’s position he “would get a rope and hang myself”. The comment was made to Philip Crowley, the HSE’s national director of risk and quality care, during a meeting over the future of Roscommon hospital. Flanagan refused to apologise for the remark. Instead, he revels in the portrayal of a local hero overcome by emotion for his constituents, hitting out at a faceless official who cares not a whit for the plain people of Roscommon.