Bertie Ahern's speechwriters were obviously in fine form at the party think-in in Westport and their rhetoric . . . well delivered, it has to be said . . . provided a nice soundbite for the official launch of the election campaign.

The family of 74-year-old Pat Joe Walsh, the elderly man who bled to death at Monaghan General Hospital, would no doubt prefer that he were alive today to nod his approval or shake his head at these rousing sentiments.

The report into his death found serious and unacceptable management failures as well as dysfunctional clinical processes contributed to Walsh's death. New medical protocols have been introduced and the report has been sent to the medical profession's self-regulatory body, the Medical Council.

Nobody, it seems, has been disciplined, although Monaghan General Hospital will be downgraded.

Last week, too, it was reported that the government is actually making money out of the fact that families with elderly or disabled members have to buy private help because the public community-care service is so appalling. The Revenue charges 15% VAT on all fees paid to private-care providers, even though that care is only sought privately because carers have no other option. The VAT charge is an EU rule. Sorry, say the officials, they're looking at ways around it.

The waiting lists for public health supports are so long that, in the real and pressing world that families with problems live, the services may as well be non-existent.

As somebody with the power to change things said last week, "Empty words are no substitute for proven experience; politics is no substitute for real plans; promises are no substitute for performance."