Madam, - I read with interest the analysis of your political editor concerning Ms Harney's battle on three fronts (Opinion & Analysis, February 8th).
It is indeed that case that she has chosen to take on hospital consultants, rather than the nurses, in advance of the election for politically opportunistic and expedient reasons. However, it is incorrect to state that "hospital consultants have become unpopular because of their intransigence and enormous salaries". A dishonest campaign of vilification and demonisation of hospital consultants is under way to distract public and media attention from scandalously poor planning, under-funding and mismanagement.
Far from being inflexible, hospital consultants have willingly participated in negotiations since invited to do so by the minister in October 2005 only to find that the minister's representatives filibuster by means of waffle and contrived pre-conditions that seek to waste time rather than conduct meaningful talks.
Does the Minister calculate that the claim of an imposed contract is a greater vote-getter then a negotiated contract? So much for social partnership! All this from a Minister whose party polled 1 per cent in the last opinion poll.
Patients are poorly served by acts of political desperation masquerading as health service reform. I trust that come the election people will see through such tactics and vote accordingly. - Yours, etc,
Dr BRYAN KENNY, Consultant Radiologist, Mid Western Regional Hospital, Limerick.