Comments for SaraBurke.com

Comment on Paying our European pipers by saraburke

saraburke — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:18:06 +0000

Sorry I thought I replied before but I lost it – here we go again
I don’t know who provides facts to troika but presumably its the HSE, DoH and PER among others.
I don’t know what health outcomes they use as we don’t have too many of them.
Our maternal mortality figures are not in the top ten, when reliable stats used from Maternal Death Enquiry, we are average. perinatal mortality is good.
I don’t know what average take home pay for a consultant is as no one will give me that info but if you want to great. I judge it on bands given and estimates. Everyone’s pay is judged on gross not net so take home pay is not a real measure.
Our trainees are leaving due to poor progression routes, ungodly hours, lower pay, few jobs….

Comment on Paying our European pipers by Peter Vaughan

Peter Vaughan — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:30:37 +0000

Who provides the above “facts” to the Troika ?
What are the population “health outcomes” audited in Ireland ?
Maternal and perinatal mortality ( we are in top ten most successful countries)
Average mortality ages for males and females. ( Significantly better then our German bosses)
And that’s it.
What is the average take home pay of a specialist and a consultant ? Does the Troika understand the difference ? Do you ?
Why are all our trainees leaving ? Where are all their German replacements ?

Comment on Reilly’s primary care centre controversy rumbles on… by Dr. Marcus de Brun

Dr. Marcus de Brun — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:59:34 +0000

Minister Reillys speech about multipliers, and one and one makes two and logistical logarithmic progression puts one in mind of Squealers speech to the animals at animal farm:

“Comrades!” he cried. “You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples.”

Comment on James Reilly’s well paid advisors by norabatty

norabatty — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:09:39 +0000

Well done Sara for highlighting this abuse, because this is what it amounts to, I had great hopes for Reilly while he was in opposition but ‘Power Corrupts’ or so it would appear. Not sure if opposition today is as strong as it was then so this will continue and so too will the destruction of our health service.

Comment on Reilly’s special advisor paid €160,000 for 80% of his time, works here ‘on average’ 2 weeks a month by saraburke

saraburke — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 11:12:38 +0000

Thank you for yours although I think you over estimate my power and influence. I think this story is in the public interest which is why I have done it and have covered it in that way. My call not yours!

Comment on Reilly’s special advisor paid €160,000 for 80% of his time, works here ‘on average’ 2 weeks a month by Baron von Biffo

Baron von Biffo — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:58:05 +0000

Thank you for your reply.

As a national journalist you are a powerful and influential person in our society. How you choose to present a story is very important and I think that in this instance you got the presentation wrong.

As for my using a nomme de plume – For the past two years I’ve posted to PoliticalWorld.org as Baron von Biffo and in doing so I’m just continuing a long and noble tradition. 400 years ago Dean Swift published pamphlets under various pseudonyms and you’ll agree that he, and others since (including Doctor Grammar and NoraBatty on your blog), didn’t damage public debate by contributing anonymously.

Comment on Reilly’s special advisor paid €160,000 for 80% of his time, works here ‘on average’ 2 weeks a month by saraburke

saraburke — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:53:33 +0000

I quote the response in full from the Department of Health ie that the amount paid is inclusive of expenses, so I am reporting the facts, it’s your call as a reader (and others) as to whether the content is disingenuous and or massaging the facts.
I assume you are not Baron von Biffo – I think the public debate is better served if people go by their real names no pseudonyms, apologies if you are really Baron von Biffo!

Comment on Reilly’s special advisor paid €160,000 for 80% of his time, works here ‘on average’ 2 weeks a month by Marcus de Brun

Marcus de Brun — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:39:46 +0000

“four legs good two legs better”

Comment on Reilly’s special advisor paid €160,000 for 80% of his time, works here ‘on average’ 2 weeks a month by Baron von Biffo

Baron von Biffo — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:17:31 +0000

Ms. Burke,

Being a ministerial adviser is hardly the same as being a production line worker where clocking on and off is the order of the day. Research, planning and policy development can be done anywhere in the world at any time.

You are at pains to point out the equivalent salary for someone working exclusively in the role but you don’t discount that figure to reflect the fact that Connor doesn’t receive expenses. That’s a tad disingenuous don’t you think?

For the record, I’m not a supporter of this government or the minister but I think public debate is better served if we resist the urge to massage the facts.

Regards,

von Biffo.

Comment on Minister Reilly to lift restrictions on GPs who can treat medical card holders by Mairead Hilliard (@vaccineinformed)

Mairead Hilliard (@vaccineinformed) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:24:10 +0000

Minister Reilly is pouring money into care for people with dabetes type 2 while ignoring the serious long term disease Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis.