Last week’s announcement of cuts by Minister for Health James Reilly’s Department of Health – announcements from which Minister Reilly was notably absent – seems to have struck a nerve in the Fine Gael/Labour coalition, with the junior Labour partners more than a little peeved at the apparent lack of prior consultation, and the fact that the cuts – totalling €500m in 2012 of which the €130m announced last week are new – will affect the provision of frontline services to the core Labour constituency, has particularly exercised the centre-left party. Sabres are now being rattled by the Labour party with talk of snap elections and withdrawal from the Coalition. “Calm down dear” is the Fine Gael response and the health cuts are set to be discussed tomorrow at the first Cabinet meeting after the summer recess. Meanwhile…
It is reported in today’s Irish Times that the largest public hospital in the State, St James’s in Dublin – annual budget of €414m, of which over €300m comes from the Health Service Executive (HSE), deals with over 300,000 patients per annum – is “in talks that could see it taking over the private Mount Carmel hospital” The private Mount Carmel hospital is owned by NAMA developer, Gerry Conlon (sometimes “Jerry Conlon”) and the Irish Times says that borrowings on the Mount Carmel hospital are in NAMA. The notion that a State-run hospital is considering a foray into private medical care at this time when it is imposing swingeing cuts on frontline services to the most vulnerable, has the potential to raise hackles further.
St James’s itself is playing down the possibility of a take-over and is quoted as saying it is merely “exploring the development of a link between the two hospitals” but the fact that Mount Carmel is in NAMA, and NAMA is actively disposing of assets may just serve to emphasise the possibility of the take-over referred to today by the Irish Times.
Minister Reilly is set for a difficult Cabinet meeting tomorrow…
NAMA Wine Lake 
It really is in the HSE where we see the utter lunacy of Croke Park. We cannot see it elsewhere.
Leaks from NAMA indicate that they have had to write a cheque for €4 million to keep the Mount Carmel up and running. I can see why they would want to be rid of it,,,,, but moving it from one heavily supported taxpayer organisation to another doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.
“The notion that a State-run hospital is considering a foray into private medical care at this time when it is imposing swingeing cuts on frontline services to the most vulnerable, has the potential to raise hackles further.”
Do they not already operate a private clinic,could be great strategic fit.
Strong demographic trends,if the assets for sale at a discount why not keep them in state hands versus an opportunistic offshore fund?
Considering the cutbacks contemplated I would expect strong demand for these services and assets.
http://www.stjamesprivateclinic.com/