Sir, - Recently we spent five hours, from a quarter to five to a quarter to ten, sitting in the waiting room of a casualty department of a Dublin public hospital. At the end of that time, exhaustion drove us off without having been called.
I must both admire and deprecate the uncomplaining patience of the people, about 20 in number, who waited with us. At long intervals someone's name was called, otherwise nothing happened. In another country, such treatment would cause a riot.
While waiting, I thought of Mr Cowen, the Minister for Health. He has only to lift his phone and he will receive the attentions of a consultant without delay. He will be taken to him in his limo and brought back, without any effort on his part. Most of us have had to travel by the infrequent bus. Obviously he does not know what is happening on the ground. On the other hand, if he does know, he should resign, and allow a man who will do something about it to take his place: remember we have budget surpluses at present. - Yours, etc., Hugo Duffy,
Furry Park Road,
Killester,
Dublin 6.