HEART BEAT Maurice NeliganOne of the nicest things about my retirement from active surgical practice is that the phone seldom rings at night. These calls usually told of possible heart transplant or emergency or sheer calamity.
I have always felt that for surgeons there should be phones in three colours: red for emergency, blue for the everyday calls and gold for the good news calls.
Somebody in the household could be deputed to dust the latter instrument once a week.
I must also confess that I derive almost sadistic pleasure from listening to AA Roadwatch as I hear of the traffic chaos, gridlock and road repairs that blight the lives of my fellow citizens as they go about their daily work.
The approach to management of the traffic problems seems to have been modelled on that of the Cumaen Sibyl when dealing with Tarquin II. That is to simply tear up the roads, as opposed to the prophesies, one third at a time, and yet maintain the expense for the unfortunate user. Come to think of it, the penalty points system for all its good points, was another quick fix.
There were great plaudits for the Minister in the beginning and then the realisation that the enforcement side was lacking.
The roads were not up to scratch, as regards maintenance and lighting; nor was the enforcement system even remotely complete. Even the Garda computer system was not ready. There was no uniformity in speed limits across the country, leaving the motorist with the impression that this was largely a cosmetic exercise with a side ability to generate funds.
I do not blame the Garda who are hopelessly overstretched as it is. But remember, another promise before the last election was 2,000 extra Gardaí.
Is it possible that in Government Departments, an integrated and stepwise approach could be initiated? To start with small steps and if these work, we gradually increase and expand.
Government Ministers, one feels, should talk to each another and make sure that a solo run by one does not compromise another, e.g. Health and Finance, come to think of it just about any Department and Finance. As of now it is done the other way.
Grandiose plans, developments and strategies are announced and launched with maximum publicity, spin and optimum exposure for the relevant politician.
The fact that the foundations do not exist makes it just as well that the structures are usually just castles in the air.
I would humbly suggest the function of Government is the well-being of all the people in so far as possible, and not the necessity of ensuring its own re-election.
The latter premise makes the State ungovernable, as hard decisions, which may be necessary, are shirked. These decisions would lead to confrontation with one or other powerful interest group, and that might cost votes.
There must be a certain amount of integrity here. Politicians cannot simply dream up plans which have not been adequately researched and costed. Any of you can think of many examples. They must not make promises that they well know they cannot keep. We must have far less of the grandiose and far more of the mundane business of government.
We should have much less exposure in the media of Ministers who should be doing their work steadily and quietly, rather than attending every bunfight and making wild and often contradictory commitments.
I can think of no democracy in the world where the cult of personality in political life is so exalted.
The depressing thing is that we can expect another wave of Shangri-La type promises as the local and European elections approach. May I point out something else. Many of the goodies that will be offered to us will have been announced before and are now being milked for the nth time. Additions to hospitals, new units and other developments are trumpeted as if they had already happened. Instead we get announcements at each stage of the process, with accompanying photographs of the responsible personages.
In my medical life, the one to be most wary of was the project team. This device sent deluded medical staff off with the impression that the second coming was at hand. Hours were spent allocating non-existent space in non-existent buildings.
When the internecine strife that this entailed was finally quieted and a degree of agreement reached, you were told that sadly the money was no longer available. Even for the lucky souls who had their buildings completed, there was no guarantee that it would function because the monies were not forthcoming.
When I started to write this I was in good humour. Now I am not. I am angry, not only with a Government of promises and failure but with all of us for tolerating this situation.
I would suggest to the media and through them to the rest of us that they should cover and applaud achievement and finality, not each footstep as if the goal had been attained. Lastly, we must remember, they do us no favours, quite to the contrary. We have the votes and fairly will we judge on feasibility and achievement.
mneligan@irish-times.ie
Dr Maurice Neligan recently retired as a leading cardiac surgeon.