[ad_1]
Micheál Martin has long been a deep member of the com-it-tee.
He loves them.
What do you want for Christmas, Taoiseach?
He was actually spotted after Leaders ‘Questions doing some Christmas shopping at the Kilkenny Shop on Nassau Street, just a few minutes’ walk from Leinster House. Good man, Micheál, leading by example and shopping locally this year. What did he buy?
I’m not sure, but someone overheard her conversation with the assistant.
“Can I have two steering groups, please, in the extra large? And if you could show me some of those beautiful hand-woven advisory boards, I’m sure I’ll find something I like. Oh, and I’ll take a dozen of your best artisan com-it-tees as sock fillers. You can never have too many, that’s what I always say. ”
So when Alan Kelly asked him in the Dáil on Tuesday to think very seriously about appointing a Vaccination Czar to oversee the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine when it finally arrives, we were able to guess what the response would be. We knew the Labor leader was going to be disappointed.
Sure enough, Kelly’s two sets of allegations during the Leaders’ Questions and again during the Taoiseach Questions failed.
“Would you consider putting a minister in charge of the most important things in our country for the next 12 months?”
It is not by chance because Micheál Martin has already created a committee and no better committee will find this side of the known universe. It is the committee of all talents, although it is not, because it is a working group.
There really is no need for Alan to worry that organizing and implementing this crucial next step in Ireland’s fight against a global pandemic needs someone with a voice in the Cabinet to drive the response, someone to report to the Taoiseach and be accountable. of general operation.
A government minister who will sit behind a sign that reads: “Covid-19 vaccination program: the buck stops here.”
Imagine how that individual’s reputation would rise, be polished forever, if they handled this difficult process with authority, confidence, and speed. If they avoided political disputes, they avoided mistakes or corrected them quickly. Imagine.
But we will never know.
The Taoiseach says the government will act quickly once the vaccines are approved.
“In this regard, I have established a high-level intergovernmental working group to oversee the development and implementation of a program for the implementation of vaccines. And that’s being chaired, as you know, by Brian MacCraith from Dublin City University, ”he told Kelly.
Professor MacCraith is president of DCU. He was also recently appointed chairman of the Government’s Future Media Commission. You know what they say: if you want to do something, ask a busy person.
At this rate, the requested physique will become the new Kieran Mulvey.
Kelly has nothing against the highly qualified people who have been appointed to this body, but he is concerned.
“The word ‘work group’ fills me with concern.”
Buffer
Perhaps it is because he is not in government where it is highly desirable to have a large buffer of task force proportions between a later minister and the guilt of having to make potentially career-ruining decisions.
“I honestly think we need a person to inform them because Stephen Donnelly has a lot to do. Other ministers have a lot to do. In fact, I am urging you to consider it: he is a person, even if he is someone educated to take on this role … “.
Oh now There could be a great new job on this for some lucky junior minister. Or maybe a backbencher could be pulled out of obscurity and put in charge of the horrendously complex vaccination program and it would be the creation of them.
But no. Taoiseach Martin wasn’t biting. He remained a soldier to his team of all talents. They represent a series of “work streams” and more “work streams” should be developed as necessary.
It is labor intensive and large volumes, he said. Among those already appointed to his intergovernmental high-level group is Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland, which is a link to the wider multinational and pharmaceutical industry. Derek McCormack, an expert in cold chain logistics, is on the team as is Dalton Philips, CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). Obviously, Paul Reid, the head of HSE, is also on board.
Not only that, but the Defense Forces will provide some support from a logistical perspective.
“A good team has been built in terms of the various work streams that need to be developed,” Kelly said.
But he is waiting for a hero.
Serious concerns
The others mentioned above are “very eminent people”, all of whom will make “a great contribution”, yet he still has serious concerns about leaving the job of distributing vaccines to committees and task forces.
He urged the Taoiseach to reconsider. “Because the logistics here are going to be huge. The rules about who gets what and when are huge. “There are so many questions and problems that will arise. And then there are the legacy issues that will also have to be managed politically.
“Someone should be at the cabinet table dealing with this. The person who will say ‘I’m in charge. This is my role. ‘ They would do a serious service to the state and report to you and the Cabinet. ”
They have even done it in the UK, he added. It’s one of the few things that got Covid’s policy right despite being “way behind us in whatever they’ve done” since last March. “There has to be someone who is politically in all this.”
It’s only for a year anyway, Alan coaxed.
But Micheál loves his com-it-tee. There is a huge job ahead and a “major logistics company” involved. Additional staff can be added to groups, although there is considerable experience in the Department of Health in the area of immunization.
“Four major work streams have already been established, covering the areas I have identified.”
But wait.
“That said, I will reflect on what the deputy has said.”
The members of the task force know that they will have to brief you, while the Government will draw on the experience of other departments and the private sector.
“But your suggestion to put a minister or minister of state in charge of all that?” Micheál mused. Your department is coordinating everything at this time and that will continue.
“However, I will consider what the deputy said.”
Fierce great work horn!
Get your expressions of interest now!
Who could be Micheál’s lucky tsar?
There is only one very big problem. How do you choose the right person to fill this important role with so little time to do so?
Actually, that’s not a problem.
Just give the list to Helen McEntee and she will make the selection, on her own, in no time.
[ad_2]