Madam, – Carl O’Brien (Home News, March 11th) tells us that the 58,000 X-rays represent 6 per cent of tests carried out in Tallaght hospital over a four-year period.
Therefore, two out of 966,666 tests led to a delayed diagnosis in this “scandal”. This is 0.000207 per cent. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Dr Tony Margiotta expresses the wish (March 12th) that an inquiry into the goings-on, or more precisely the lack of goings-on, at Tallaght hospital will be wholly transparent “rather like the X-rays themselves”.
I should point out that an X-ray which is wholly transparent reveals absolutely no information. Sadly, I fear that Dr Margiotta’s wish will come true. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – If Fine Gael and Labour are serious about reform of the public sector, let them now call for heads to roll in Tallaght hospital instead of playing political games by attempting to make a scapegoat out of the Minister for Health, who clearly has no role whatsoever to play in the process of opening letters delivered to public hospitals. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I note the Minister for Health, Mary Harney is on a visit to New Zealand, where she will “visit a number of hospitals and medical facilities as well as attending functions designed to promote trade and jobs” (Home News, March 11th).
Promoting the already healthy trade in Irish doctors with the New Zealand health service? Thanks, Ms Harney. – Yours, etc,