Lucky few will retain privileges while poor will carry the burden

The last few days have provided plenty of opportunities to reflect on the performance of this Government.

Enda Kenny entered the Dáil on a wave of reform and change. In the last week we have seen the debacle of the primary care sites and the accusations of stroke politics, the report of CAG and its details of waste, reminders of the monstrous awards to the inept former incumbents of the cabinet and this week the payment to unsecured AIB bond holders of €1bn.

The proposed constitutional convention is a damp squib with no significant reforms on the empowerment of local government and the elimination of parochial politics in the Dáil. The much-heralded health reforms have not materialised and the inefficient management culture in the public service remains.