John Gormley

Fluoridation
The PDs voted down the motion to ban fluoridation. It’s difficult to understand how a liberal party, whose apparent philosophy is based on the notion that the individual has a right to make choices about his or her life, could countenance the idea of mass medication. It’s disappointing. Well done, anyway, to Councillor Paul Mitchell for putting the motion.

Auction politics
This election is in danger of becoming a runaway train. Each party is trying to outbid the other in a most irresponsible way. I remember the 1977 Fianna Fáil election manifesto, with its list of irresistible goodies for the electorate, which gained Jack Lynch a huge overall majority. I also remember the subsequent bleak years of the 1980s with its dole queues and immigration. I only hope that some voters will appreciate that auction politics is bad for the country.

It looks like water fluoridation has had its day. The PDs have a motion calling for a ban on water fluoridation at their party conference today. If this goes through then I have no doubt that Fiona O’Malley will support my report on the subject when it goes to the Health committee next month.

The most recent evidence shows clearly that fluoridated water should not be given to babies as it will cause fluorosis and God knows what else. The FSAI report on this was extremely flawed. I’ll come back to that another time. In the mean time here’s hoping that the PDs have the sense to vote in favour of a ban.

On Thursday I appeared on RTÉ’s Prime Time on the fluoridation issue. You can view the show here.

– McDowell’s party has more failures than successes to reflect on

The Green Party today ridiculed the Progressive Democrats’ claim that it has delivered on its election promises and highlighted some of PDs’ more serious failures in its ten years in Government.

Speaking on the eve of the PDs’ national conference, Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD said: “Not only have the PDs failed to deliver on their promises, they have managed to deliver on things which they did not promise, such as the privatisation of the health service. They have absolutely no mandate for this ill-conceived proposal.

“The major plank of the Progressive Democrats’ campaign at the first election was that a single party government was undesirable and they would keep an eye on Fianna Fáil. The PDs have not only kept an eye on them – they are now indistinguishable from the bigger party. Who would have thought that Michael McDowell would seek the end of tribunals investigating corruption? The last five years have been particularly damaging for the PDs and it is unlikely that they can recover at this stage.”

The Green Party has identified the following promises made by the PDs, which have not been delivered on: (more…)

The Green Party’s policy on primary health care was launched in Drogheda on 26th January 2007. Download a copy of the policy in PDF format here.

Green Party Chairman and health spokesperson, John Gormley TD, accused Mary Harney today of gross negligence and called on her to explain fully why she did not act on the advice given by he HIA to close the loophole which permits the Quinn group to forego risk equalisation payments for the next three years.

“We now know that the HIA alerted May Harney to this loophole before BUPA left the market, yet instead of introducing emergency legislation immediately she stalled until January by which time it was too late. Her failure to act represents a startling dereliction of duty and is reminiscent of Micheal Martin’s behaviour which led to the nursing home charges debacle. Incompetence, resulting in revenue losses to the state, has been the hallmark of this government.

“The Green Party will be raising the issue in the Dáil this week. The question we will ask is how could the Minister, who claims she is favour of community rating, could undermine any chance of risk equalisation by ignoring the experts. This government has shown in he past that it can rush through legislation when it suits them. This is potentially Mary Harney’s most serious crisis to date.”

The last MRBI poll, which had us dropping to 4%, appeared on the day of our 25th anniversary celebration. In my speech that evening I joked that the result was a ’statistical blip’. That seemed to cheer up the party members. If I had the opportunity to address party members again I’d say exactly the same thing. These poll results are for the birds. Yes, we’re doing okay and getting a positive response, but we have not doubled our vote. Realistically, I’d say we’re around 6% nationally, and if we can maintain that sort of percentage we’ll make gains.

Our good poll results have irritated the PDs. Michael Mc had a go at us on Pat Kenny this morning. He claimed on three occasions that we wished to increase corporation tax. Not true, as it happens, but then facts aren’t Michael’s strong point. Later, he issued another attack, to which I responded.

We had some good launches lately. Our primary health care launch last week in Drogheda was successful. On Tuesday I went to Eamon Ryan with an idea for a launch today on climate change. I recommended a slogan “It’s time to act”. Eamon immediately organised a banner and a post card. We launched today on the Millennium bridge to coincide with the IPCC report.

This photograph was sent to me at the weekend. I am told that it was taken by “a 22-year-old cystic fibrosis patient after she was admitted to this toom in St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin on Wednesday 17th last.”

Harney misled the public in calculated and callous way

Speaking following the leaking of a HSE document today Green Party Health spokesperson John Gormley TD said: “Mary Harney’s denials in relation to the internal HSE documents, which clearly show that the National Cancer Strategy cannot be delivered, ring very hollow. She has deceived the public in a calculated and callous way.

“When the strategy was published, the Irish Cancer Society expressed its reservations and it’s plain that many in the HSE now know that it amounted to a lot of political spin. Not only can it not be delivered on time but the budget is totally unrealistic. Cancer rates are due to increase by a staggering 90 per cent in the next 15 years.

“This fact alone means that the budget for the strategy will have to be increased significantly if it is to address the serious deficits in the service. It’s time for Mary Harney to come clean on this issue.”

– Government must reconsider the options

The Green Party has claimed that the Taoiseach’s remarks in Riyadh regarding the location of the new children’s hospitals have left the Minister for Health in a difficult position. Party Health spokesperson John Gormley TD has renewed his call on the government to go back to the drawing board on the issue. (more…)

– Services for the mentally ill shameful, says Gormley

Statement by Green Party Health spokesperson John Gormley TD:

“The Mental Health Commission’s report on the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin is a shocking indictment of this Government’s indifference to mental illness. It confirms that some of the most vulnerable people in our society have been shunted into an institution and forgotten about.

“The report’s findings contrast sharply with the glossy, Celtic Tiger image that the Government tries to portray of this country in the run up to the election. The sad fact is that services for the mentally ill are shameful. While some wealthy people are doing well, there are many sections of our society who continue to suffer.

“The Government cannot shirk its responsibilities on this issue. I sincerely hope that the report’s recommendations will be fully and quickly implemented. I will ask that the Dáil debates this report when it resumes,” concluded Deputy Gormley.