Connacht Tribune
Kenny more preoccupied with what can’t be done than what can
The tradition of the first 100 days of Government was dreamed up by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early 1930s when he set out an agenda for the first three months and ten days of his administration.
These were all the things he was going to do in that crucial window or time, to help the bloodstream of the United States economy – spectacularly coagulated by the 1929 Wall Street Crash – flow again.
Roosevelt came into government during a deep damaging recession, and the first 100 days ruse was a master-stroke to show his determination to lift the US out of that depression.
There has been hardly a new government since then that has rejected the yardstick of the first 100 days. This will be where we set out our stall, they say. This is how we will start and how we will intend to go on, they shout.
As time has gone on it has been hijacked by the marketeers to render it meaningless. It’s now become cat nip for the parties in Government and for the media, who use it as some kind of great first test for the new administration.
The Programme for Government contains about fifteen ‘first 100-day’ commitments, and another five or so in the short side-deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
The imperatives arising from the big election issues such as suspending water charges; a housing and homelessness initiative. It also includes promises that reflected the new political realities such as the new budgetary process, where a new Budget committee has been set up to decide the Budget.
There are also concessions to the Independent Alliance such as the scrapping of special areas of conservation on 46 raised bogs and commitments for an early report on the feasibility of the western rail corridor.
But ironically, the first 100 days has been all about what Fine Gael could not do in government, rather than what it could.
Indeed for most of that time, there were lingering doubts as to whether or not the first 100 days of this Government might also be the last 100 days of this Government.
Running a Government 20 shy seats of a majority might be the norm in Scandinavia, but it has been a novel experience here.
The reality is that Fine Gael has been like a clipped eagle since May, unable to assert its own identity or to impose its vision or ideals on the Government.
It’s not all Fine Gael’s fault. It simply doesn’t have the numbers. These days it’s all about deals and compromises.
Ironically if you look at the team on paper, it’s the most right-of-centre government in the history of the State. There’s no Labour Party to temper the low taxes and law-and-order of Fine Gael. And two of the three senior Ministers – Denis Naughten and Shane Ross – are both of Fine Gael stock.
Barring a catastrophe (and that could come in the form of a series of poor polls), Kenny will remain in situ for another year at least, before handing over the reins.
What it has singularly failed to do since coming into power is to call anybody’s bluff. Every time it has been threatened by the Opposition or its own Independents, it has capitulated.
If the party continues to do that, it will have no credibility. It needs to hang tough on its fundamental issues or else it will be seen as a weak proxy for Fianna Fáil.
For more political analysis from Harry see this week’s Tribune here
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
