Mary Harney, Europe's least healthy looking health minister, has really done it this time.
Not content with presiding over the further erosion of the Irish health system and selling off what bits she can to her developer pals, she must now watch in free marketeer horror as BUPA pulls out of Ireland today.
That's 300 jobs down the Swanee, half a million punters without health insurance and a big load of egg on the Minister's face, given her espousal of competition in the marketplace.
Thanks to a bonkers ruling in court the other week that BUPA should give a million quid a week to the dominant force in the marketplace VHI, this result was inevitable. Expect Vivas to follow shortly.
This health minister is a liability. Can someone please put her out to pasture immediately?
4 comments:
As I said In my blog the other day, on a cost per unit mass basis, she is the best value minister we ever had.
There is more Mary to the Euro than for any other minister.
Are you sure Biffo wouldn't give her a run for that title? Or at least a wheezing attempt at one?
Anyhow, I tend to seek quality rather than quantity in a government minister.
Sadly this is an increasingly quixotic quest.
This has been the toughest decision I've ever been involved in because for 10 years we've built up a business that I'm really proud of, and to be forced to walk away now is devastating.
We didn't want to be forced out of Ireland but we had no choice which is what we've been trying to say to everyone for some time. We've been trying to find a solution to this problem for ten year. When this scheme was brought in 2003 we warned this would happen but no one would listen. If we stay the reality is that we lose money.
My biggest concerns are my colleagues and our members. We will continue to look after our members' health care until their policies are due for renewal and I'll be doing everything I can to help our people in Fermoy and Dublin
I didn't like having to make a decision like this so close to Christmas but the timing was not of our choosing.
My 300 colleagues in Fermoy and Dublin can be very proud of what they've achieved over the past 10 years and they know I am proud of them. We'll be doing everything we can to make sure they're looked after.
Martin O'Rourke
It's very good of you to come on my little blog to explain yourself, Martin. For those who don't know, you are of course BUPA Ireland's chief executive.
Frankly, anybody who is aware of the history of the risk equalisation issue knows that the Government was dooming competition in this marketplace by seeking to introduce it.
And many also suspect it was done deliberately to maintain market dominance for the increasingly poor value VHI.
I for one will be sad to see BUPA leave Ireland, not only because of the loss of your co-workers' jobs, but also because of the loss of your company to the Irish marketplace, Martin.
But I appreciate that this situation was not of BUPA's making.
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