1.Hire a chief executive, someone with a proven track record but not a civil servant or a politician, and pay whatever it takes to get the right person.

2.Depoliticise the NHS - let government formulate strategy not implement it.

3. Sack all management consultants.

4. End contracting out of staff.

5. Improve morale - listen to the staff.

6. Make doctors choose between working for the public health service or in private practice.

7.Cut red tape.

8. Ensure every operating theatre is in use every weekday.

9. Focus on cutting waiting lists.

10. Ban penny-pinching - car park charges, vending cards for bedside phones and TVs.

Robinson has had an extraordinarily successful business career. He's the former chairman of Granada, Allied Domecq and the British Arts Council. He's also very well connected with New Labour and, despite his Irish roots, qualified for a knighthood, so it's Sir Gerry across the water. According to the Daily Telegraph, Robinson lives with his family "in a beautiful Georgian house in Co Donegal". Mary Harney should look him up.

Negative political campaigning damages all sides of the house THE recent fuss about Fine Gael's attack posters on Michael McDowell - which I actually think are quite effective - led to much comment about negative political campaigning. The latest issue of Marketing magazine quotes US research that concludes that "negative campaigns make the public feel neither candidate is qualified and create a deepening dislike and distrust of all politicians, regardless of party ties".

Padraig Slattery, the managing director of Slattery Communications, isn't too impressed either.

"In general, political advertising is dull and lacks genuine creativity.

The strap lines are pretty staid and really the consumers, namely the electorate, do not take them that seriously. Of all the ads run by political parties over the decade in Ireland, it is difficult to recall a strap line bar 'a lot done, more to do' from Bertie Ahern-led Fianna Fáil." Slattery's analysis makes me think that perhaps Enda Kenny and co should adopt a variation of the FF 2002 slogan - 'they haven't done enough, don't let them do anymore'.

ENDA KENNY wants to build a second airport in Dublin, but a decade ago he was a member of the Rainbow coalition which shot down a similar proposal from Tony Ryan. The businessman submitted a proposal to establish a second airport at Baldonnel in 1995. Twelve months later, the then Fine Gael-led government decided that the provision of a second commercial airport in the Dublin region was not in the interest of the aviation sector and economy generally. Kenny was minister for trade and tourism at the time the second airport idea was killed off. Given his volte face, maybe Tony Ryan should get back in touch with the Fine Gael leader.

David Ervine travelled a great distance for peace in the North IT WOULD be wrong not to mention the passing of David Ervine. I first met him at his offices on the Shankill Road sometime in 1997 and over the following few years interviewed him many times in Belfast. He was a gentleman and was always helpful. He loved to use flowery language and peppered his speech with adjective after adjective.

He also liked to puff on his pipe as he considered his response to questions posed.

He once did me a huge favour in setting up a meeting with Gusty Spence, the legendary loyalist leader. "Drown the Provos in democracy, " Spence said in the interview.

Ervine, sitting at the same table with pipe in hand, nodded in agreement. Like the Provos, Ervine travelled a great distance for peace in Northern Ireland. He was involved in violence but took the opportunity to go another route.

With all the squabbling over policing at the moment, it would be best if the DUP and Sinn Féin now reached the end of this current route and got on with the business of governing.