Government Policy

The Irish Times reports Ms. Mary Harney, Minister for Health and Children informing the Dail that it has been Government Policy to arrange for the building of private hospitals on public land for almost two years.

This is a revelation to the writer and, from the context of the Irish Times report, a revelation to the Dail also.

It also provokes some consternation; we inhabit a world where Government Policy can be settled on, yet not published for almost two years.

Consequently, it is possible to be in breach of Section 49 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 unwittingly. See HERE for prior comment on this subject.