Worst news has still to come on cuts in health spending budgets

You know, my sources tell me that, when it comes to health spending problems and cuts needed, things are only going to get worse next year ...... which may at least partly explain the queue of TDs now building up to protest about the situation and threaten the government. 

My information is that next year, the HSE West will have to take on board the spending cuts of this year, and then try to live with tens of millions in new cuts on top of the 2010 figures.

The rumoured figure at the moment is €25million-plus, but that sounds low. The further reductions will be part of the €700million in 2011 cuts which are being planned nationally by Health Minister Mary Harney.I thought I noticed an element of strain in relations between the two erstwhile PDs, Mary Harney and Noel Grealish, as Harney was asked in an interview if there would be any spending concessions. Harney sounded particularly hardline and unmoved when it was put to her as to whether there would be any concession on health spending in the HSE West. The lady was not for turning!

Hardly surprising against that background that Independent TD Grealish (Galway West) in the past week not alone threatened to withdraw his support from the government, but made it clear in the past few days that he was also determined to act on that in the Dail over the health spending crisis in the western area and what he regards as ‘the black hole’ of the billions for Anglo Irish Bank.

Now, you just wonder in the way Government Chief Whip John Curran TD was talking at the weekend, if there is any ‘wriggle room’ on health spending in the next few months that might buy more time for the government? After all, this is about a government possibly losing power!

The Grealish move immediately upped the political temperature not just nationally, but locally as well in West Galway. It resulted in a scathing attack by FG Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames on Grealish. She said he was the most loyal of supporters of FF for three years since the last General Election, and was now posturing to try to get onside with the voters of West Galway as an independent voice.It echoed a Fine Gael threat of recent months that, if necessary, FG would bring out an election poster showing Noel Grealish as part of the Fianna Fail team of candidates in Galway West with the likes of Eamon Ó Cuív TD, Frank Fahey TD and Councillor Michael John Crowe, the Mayor of Galway.

Of course, let’s not forget that both Noel Grealish and Fidelma Healy-Eames have a hunk of their political base in that same geographical ‘neck of the woods, the countryside east of Galway City which takes in places like Oranmore,

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.