84 thoughts on “Thursday’s Papers

  1. GiggidyGoo

    Hospital has to beg local businesses for essential PPE supplies.

    Harris tells us 15 years worth of PPE will arrived Ireland this week. ‘In an interview with Virgin Media News, Mr Harris said that he was “really pleased” that Ireland, through the HSE, had secured the equipment haul during the global shortage of supplies.’

    Are the following statements true?
    It won’t arrive until monday/tuesday next week. The HSE didn’t secure it – a private company did.

      1. GiggidyGoo

        What? That a Minister puts out a soundbite and praises a department that didn’t secure the supply?

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Jake – maybe you should get some education to enable you to comment on the subject and not the person who makes the comment. Your one-liner is stale now.

          2. Andrew

            Didn’t you get the memo GiggidyGoo? Pull on the Green Jersey and gets digs in at Trump and Boris at every opportunity.
            You’ll never beat the Irish!

          3. Nigel

            If you’re going to insist on reminding people that Trump amd Johnson are making our caretaker government look good, that’s on you.

          4. Nigel

            You have to lie about people you disagree with so you’re exactly wherever Trump is. And I am certianly ‘right’ about Trump and Johnson.

          5. Pat Mustard

            What am I lying about?

            In case you haven’t noticed, Trumps approval rating has gone up.

          6. GiggidyGoo

            Kake – hope you looked at tonight’s update where it was stated that the supplies won’t arrive till Monday – and that centres with inadequate supplies will be ‘serviced’ first. – figure out the earlier liars for yourself

        1. Clampers Outside

          The private company likely was contracted to do the job by the HSE, yeah? Or does everything happen in a self contained bubble in Goo world?

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Nope Clampers. Just drawing attention to the spin that is being put out there. If you’re happy with everything that happens in the cocoon of spin, good for you. Others however can see through it.

          2. Rob_G

            Giggidy, did you think “the boy Harris” or whatever you like to call him, picks up all the masks himself in a Sprinter van?

          3. GiggidyGoo

            Rob_G.
            It’d take a long time to drive a sprinter van from China. But that’s beside the point – which was about the spin and the lies, not driving a van.

    1. millie aka oprah

      Good grief, Giggs, give it a rest. Like, I’m no fan of the FG and I’ve definitely had my issues with the HSE, but you seem determined to loathe both no matter what they do, no matter what their response.

      Now, I’m genuinely curious, what would be your handling of the COVID-19 crisis? What more should have been done?

      1. GiggidyGoo

        Good grief Millie –
        What more could have been done? This Covid-19 has been festering since at least January. Preparations should have been instigated at that stage – like ordering PPE equipment, like ordering Testing equipment, like employing more health service people. It’s not as if the clues weren’t there well in advance as to the dangers.
        At the very least temperature-scanning of arrivals, especially from Italy – that would probably have caught cases that were a week old at least.
        And we saw well in advance how the situation progressed in Italy, and should have learned from them, and instigated the ‘lockdown’ a hell of a lot sooner.
        They’re some of the things that could have been done but weren’t.

        What gets me though is the lies and spin, the holding back of information. So pardon me for loathing FG and their appointees in the HSE. I have no trust in them, and definately no trust in a merchant like Honohan after his performance during the Cervical Cancer Screening debacle.

        By asking me what more could have been done – surely you’re not saying that you think they have done everything they could have done?

        1. Cian

          – Ireland was one of the first European counties to shut down schools and implement (limited) social distancing.
          – Temperature scanning has little benefit. It only flags people that are already showing symptoms – and they will already know they have a fever.
          “[Israel says] airport temperature checks so unhelpful that it decided not to do them during the novel coronavirus outbreak. Israel used them in previous years for Ebola, SARS and H1N1, but found that they didn’t work.

          “It is ineffective and inefficient,” said Dr. Itamar Grotto, associate director general of Israel’s Ministry of Health. “

          I agree that the HSE should gotten more prepared based on the reports from China in January. But you don’t seem to acknowledge that perhaps this has already happened. That because they had those 2 months they were about to prepare the current response.

          Hindsight is wonderful. But if the HSE had bought 10 million masks and 5 million test kits in January but COVID turned out to be just a local Chinese flu – people like you would have been calling for the resignation of the government and the HSE board for wasting money. They really can’t win.

          1. Andrew

            The government dragged its feet on cancelling the St.Patrick’s Day parades and festival, and also dragged its feet on closing pubs. They have also pretended that we are capable of adopting the South Korean model in dealing with this crisis. We are not and it was delusional to think otherwise. The change of testing criteria and waste of resources so far has been farcical.
            Vardakar speeches are embarrassing. I shudder to think who might be writing them and what they are getting paid for it.

          2. V

            Interesting you introduce January there Cian
            in your shoulda woulda’boutery

            But what you’ve done is solidify my theory that Leo was actually running away from this when he raced over to the Áras

            and don’t dare deny there was something up his ass when he called the election
            for the first 10 days of it ye were still trying to shift out of reverse

            And now look, an FFFG axis government any day now…………………………….
            And ye might even be able to blame some of the spread on Mary Lou’s rallies

            and Richard Boyd Barrett can stick to saving something out in Dun Laoghaire for the next five years

            ta dah!

          3. GiggidyGoo

            “But if the HSE had bought 10 million masks and 5 million test kits in January but COVID turned out to be just a local Chinese flu – people like you would have been calling for the resignation of the government and the HSE board for wasting money.”

            Whatabouttery.

          4. Cian

            @V it was GiggidyGoo that mentioned January – I was just agreeing.

            All along the government said they wanted to stay until Brexit was done (which happened on 31st December). The Dáil was dissolved on 14th January.

            COVID-19 was only announced on the 1st Jan.

          5. Cian

            *…and the first death to COVID-19 only happened on 9th January. So it is unlikely that FG decided to dissolve the Dáil because of it.

          6. V

            Well dear

            If not this what was Leo running away from then?

            Or did he really think his Political savvy had the talent to defy the experience of 5 /6 previous Taoisigh who set out to never be forced to call an election in Winter again
            Did he really believe he was that talented a politician and political strategist?
            The man that sat on a stage in New York while they renamed their Paddys Day Gerry Adams Day, or who attended a Parade in Chicago only to find it was Conor McGregor was the Grand Marshal? His face walking behind McGregor was priceless in fairness.
            A Party leader who supported commemorating the Black and Tans?

            or mebbe, like mebbe
            Leo really wanted to loose seats, and make a show of his Government in the first half of the campaign, and have sitting senior Ministers lose mortifying at the hands of Sinn Fein – it was a great way, albeit expensive, approach to tidy up his own benches and put manners on them
            He really did want to see the Greens rebooted and the Social Dems triple the size of their parliamentary party
            He really did want to see what it would be like to hang around a count centre sweating it out count after count

            Spin it, sing it, swing it, or swallow it
            Leo Varadkar’s call to the Áras had nothing to do with
            Brexit
            if it had been May or June, yeah I’d believe it
            Not January

          7. Cian

            Take off the tinfoil hat there V.

            You think:
            – Varadkar had the genius foresight to predict a pandemic…. but didn’t not that we would have a hung parliament.
            – Varadkar had the genius foresight to predict a pandemic… but didn’t think to pre-order a few million face-masks.

            Leo Varadkar’s call to the Áras had nothing to do with COVID-19.

          8. V

            what was it so?

            ’cause I don’t believe yere Brexit of course for a second
            and given that both FG and FF still hadn’t finalised and signed off on all their constituency candidates
            I think there’s a lot of people in both parties would be of a mind to agree with me

            Something spooked Leo
            and twasn’t Brexit

        2. millie aka oprah

          Fair enough. Thanks for the comprehensive response.

          And as to govt response so far, I think it has been much better than I had anticipated. I expected far more excuses, ineptitude and waste from the party I so badly wanted to see out of government. Their handling of COVID-19 has been, to me, measured and considered, though not perfect – but I wouldn’t expect a perfect response from any government.

          It won’t erase or change the reasons I wanted them gone in the first place, but looking at the big picture – beyond politics – where the welfare of all Irish citizens is stake, I think there should be credit given where it is due.

          I think the true mark of their success, or failure, will be in the weeks coming, in two or three weeks time when we see the effects of actions taken over the past few weeks and also the results of the backlog of testing.

          And only in the aftermath, with hindsight, will we be able to see where the most glaring of mistakes were and also the most effective actions, and judge accordingly.

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Well, for what it’s worth, I do think they are getting a handle on the situation st this stage. (It’d be disappointing if they weren’t)

          2. V

            Actually Mill, it’s the Department & Senior Operations in the HSE, AGS and Defence Forces, as well as Environment/ Local Authorities that have played a blinder once it got real, and senior acting Government Ministers actually started paying attention

            You hardly think re-purposing Croke Park and De’ Pairc were Leo’s idea
            ’cause it definitely wasn’t Harris’
            who incidentally would have been briefed – probably daily on the virus since December, and was in a position to organise and sign off on emergency expenditure & budget allocation top-ups well in advance of the General Election, and have the Health Service fully togged out and equipped

            So you wouldn’t be too far off the ranch to suggest that he and a few others in that Cabinet thought it was going to be someone else’s job to sort out

          3. Cian

            @V Fake news!
            Harris’ who incidentally would have been briefed – probably daily on the virus since December,

            Why would Harris be briefed on a local flu in the middle of China back in December?
            – China alerted the WHO about a flu on the 31st December 2019.
            – 7th January it was formally identified as a new flu.
            – the first death (in China) didn’t happen until the 11th January.
            – the first report outside China wasn’t until the 13th January
            – Wuhan went into quarantine on January 23

          4. V

            Slow down bhoy
            you’ll give yourself a hernia trying to hoist up your Fake News V flag

            Well then, the 31st of December/ New Years, January

            as a matter of course HSE /Dept of Health Cardigans get bulletins of all recorded virus’ and transmittable diseases
            As soon as they become recorded
            Maybe not from Chinese officials but absolutely from WHO and the EU Health whatyamacallit alerts team,
            The one that the NHS requested Downing Street to let them remain a member of btw
            Boris said no, something to do with weakening their negotiations with Big Phil and the exit team.

            and btw, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone in the Dept of Ed were getting them as well, and Foreign Affairs

            because local health offices, community health care managers/ doctors/ district nurse managers also get notices
            and probably some GPs
            anyone either engaged or on the outskirts of PCCC health care pretty much

            ooops

          5. Cian

            Slow down yourself.
            You originally said Harris would get a daily briefing since December…. now you are changing it to someone in DFA might have been told on the last day of December.

          6. V

            As Well dear

            getting bulletins As Well

            so, anyway, have you any formal official line on Home Waxing Kits

            I’m coming up on it now so I’d be keen to hear what the Party have signed off to say on them

      2. Janet, I ate my avatar

        I kinda feel the same, not Leo’s biggest fan and definitely can’t stand a lot of ” government” up until now, but now is a time to put politics aside and support your country

      3. GiggidyGoo

        Quite, Janet.
        Which is why an all-party temporary Government should have been formed, but FFG haven’t put politics aside for the support of the country.
        They’re still trying to divvy up political spoils, and their concentration is on that as far as i see.
        I’m doing my bit during this crisis. I won’t have my neighbours want for any essentials, and look in on them/phone them daily. (Country location). A close family member is also a Doctor so I have a good idea of the support that they need.

        1. Rosette of Sirius

          While Leo and the gang are run ragged over the last few weeks, the rest of our elected representatives could and should have been bust trying to form a government. But no. Now that the country will be a busted flush for the foreseeable, they’ve hidden under the beds. Save for a couple of sound bites themselves. SFF, the greens, the indies and the rest of the left are all cowards.

          Your rabid attacks on anything related to the state is tiresome and at a time of national crisis, unpatriotic. They’re all trying to do their best in an impossible situation. All the while trying to keep people calm but safe.

          If anyone else thinks they can do better, they know what to do. But they won’t. Because they’re cowards.

          1. GiggidyGoo

            You’re forgetting that the ‘rest’ as you call them have been calling for an all-party government approach – which FFG won’t allow. Far from hiding under the beds.

            The only way that Leo and the gang have been run ragged is in their pursuit of power. Their speeches are written by the HSE and Concannon – it’s only a matter of reading them. Their goal, first and foremost, is power.

            (SFF?)

          2. GiggidyGoo

            Well, the FF part have revealed their true colours (and it isn’t Republican, so they should drop ‘The Republican Party’ from their advertising) by courting FG (after they emphatically said that they wouldn’t by the way).
            Micheal Martin is in dire straits and worried of being the first FF leader not to hold the position of Taoiseach).

          3. class wario

            lol you and your ilk would be raging if SF went about setting up a new government during all of this, would you stop

  2. Birdie

    I’m finding it tiresome the shaming in rational criticism of this caretaker government.

    I also despair at how easily won over people are by a speech. I totally get the importance of a rallying call but ff and fg made a balls of healthcare, housing and society in general but in some quarters if you raise that you’re seen as unpatriotic.

    Although I have my suspicions that fg’s new pr approach is to pollute online with how amazing fg are at leading and how terrific the hse upper echelons are. It’s just bleak that this pandemic is an opportunity for those two parties.

    And finally Will Leahy’s tweet about fg lately encapsulates that terrible lack of questioning. I thought RTÉ employees had to stay impartial?

  3. Birdie

    I’m finding it tiresome the shaming or rational criticism of this caretaker government.

    I also despair at how easily won over people are by a speech. I totally get the importance of a rallying call but ff and fg made a balls of healthcare, housing and society in general but in some quarters if you raise that you’re seen as unpatriotic.

    Although I have my suspicions that fg’s new pr approach is to pollute online with how amazing fg are at leading and how terrific the hse upper echelons are. It’s just bleak that this pandemic is an opportunity for those two parties.

    And finally Will Leahy’s tweet about fg lately encapsulates that terrible lack of questioning. I thought RTÉ employees had to stay impartial?

  4. Birdie

    I’m finding it tiresome the shaming or rational criticism of this caretaker government is someone how seen as inappropriate/moaning/silenced.

    I also despair at how easily won over people are by a speech. I totally get the importance of a rallying call but ff and fg made a balls of healthcare, housing and society in general but in some quarters if you raise that you’re seen as unpatriotic.

    Although I have my suspicions that fg’s new pr approach is to pollute online with how amazing fg are at leading and how terrific the hse upper echelons are. It’s just bleak that this pandemic is an opportunity for those two parties.

    And finally Will Leahy’s tweet about fg lately encapsulates that terrible lack of questioning. I thought RTÉ employees had to stay impartial?

    1. bisted

      …at least the end of the charade is in sight…the soldiers of destiny merging with their right wing soulmates…no doubt the dregs of the once proud labour party will step up…in the national interest…

      1. GiggidyGoo

        A case of ‘We’re all in this together’ FFGLAB and more than likely Eamonn ‘Salad’ Ryan’s greenies will step up to the mark.
        Instead of wasting this time trying to circle the wagons, an all-party temporary government should have been set up weeks ago. That wouldn’t suit the Soundbite and State-of-the-Nation-Speech types though. Nor the pursuit of a FFG Government.
        Instead, we had dawdling and a very unprofessional reaction to this virus. It took private people (like Youghal) to put a stop to parades, and private business (like Ryanair) to cut flights and the establishment had no choice but to follow their lead.
        Up to that, what did our boyos in power do? Handed out some flyers. Put meetings with FF/Greens above the safety of our people in the pursuit of holding onto power. Addressed the nation from another country. Lied about the capabilities of testing, and the PPE supply situation, and having our health professionals to have to come out and beg for help regarding supplies.
        We have Holohan then ‘updating’ us – the same fellow who tried to quash the investigations into the Cervical Cancer debacle – and he’s paraded out as the face of trust?

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Ah Clampers – you spend so much time attacking me, rather than the subject. Kinda boring yourself.

    2. class wario

      I am generally happy enough to row in behind the ‘team effort’ currently

      BUT

      (a) loads of loud and silent FG types are more than happy to make political capital from this while demanding that nobody else try and do so in the name of covid-19 being more important; and
      (b) the fact that even the mildest, most justifiable criticism is being met with screeching about a united covid-19 front

      are both really annoying.

      Let them carry on in a caretaker capacity until this is done. Fine. I don’t have to support them using it to big themselves up or forming a ‘strong and stable’ government (big T May vibes!) on the back of it.

    3. :-Joe

      F-f/g are going to be slow to change after a hundred years and the refusal to jump at an all together dail government and shut out of a roughly equal 25% of the vote is a perfect reflection of their contempt for the public and any kind of real democracy.

      :-J

  5. :-Joe

    Haha…. Edwina Curry on the radio… pure arrogant, patronising, sactimonious waffle and regressive bile as usual….

    The equivolent hypothetical love child of margaret thatcher and a facist female alan partridge.

    Hilarious to listen to though, complete lack of self awareness or pure evil. lol… you decide?

    Pat Kenny lapping it up and practically genuflecting, eejit…..

    :-J

  6. some old queen

    IMO one of the funniest twitter accounts during this Pandemic is Katie Hopkins. She is a cheeky mare at the best of times but her pot shots at celebrities, Greta Thunberg, Angela Merkel and Meghan Markle are hilarious.

    https://twitter.com/KTHopkins

        1. class wario

          – person actively following and recommending the content of a painfully unfunny and tryhard fascist

          1. some old queen

            It may come as a surprise to you but some of us can listen to what people say right across the political spectrum and, agree with some points while disagreeing with others- its called being a liberal, a REAL liberal.

            And as for Katie, a nationalist without question but when was the last time you heard of a fascist or even a racist being invited to do a tour of India? But do carry on with your labeling, if it makes you feel better,

            Now do you not have some gays to beat tolerance into or something?

          2. :-Joe

            Hitler is f’-ing hilarious to be fair….

            I watched Clive James series on the history of fame a few weeks ago and sure, he adds a lot of funny naration but even the silent footage of him is almost laugh out loud at times… – If it weren’t for the mass-murder / genocide / attempted annihilation of the Jewish race etc.

            An overtly camp, wannabe superstar maniac underneath/on top of it all.

            ( I couldn’t find episode five(I think), if anyone has an old betamax copy or..?)

            :-J

          3. bisted

            …careful lads…this commenter seems to have direct line to the moderaters on this site…seems to be able to exercise censorship at will while posting very dodgy links with impunity…

          4. some old queen

            Oh dear- is that the best you can do lads?

            I’ll be promoting Peirs Morgan in Britain tomorrow- just to give you the heads up.

  7. jamesjoist

    the incumbent Minister for Health, regardless of ideology, has always been subject to virulent criticism from both opposition parties and vested interests. I think it was Brian Cowens labled the Office “Angola ” because of the unexploded mines which awaited each new Minister. To push the metaphor, this is a fleet of B52’s thwarting the present Minister . As the yanks would say , he should be cut some slack

    1. :-Joe

      Welcome to Ireland, you’ve a lot to learn about what’s been going on since you got off the boat last week…

      A crash test dummy, nailed-on at the ankle, hip and brass neck of varad the wannabe tory impailer of the most vunerable.. would have had to have done the exact same bare minimum required by default anyway…

      It wasn’t up for discussion or decision-making or finding the usual angle to rip everyone off to the maximum for the benefit of a few.

      You’re praising a messenger for delivering a pre-written message he can take no credit for.

      Delusional thinking… or facetiousness, maybe even with something to gain.

      :-J

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