Fight at HSE party leaves top official with broken arm

Justine McCarthy

Stress levels in the HSE exploded spectacularly at a work-related function when two of Professor Brendan Drumm's most senior officials became embroiled in an altercation that left one of them with a broken arm.

Gardaí from the Bridewell were called to the scene after a dispute between the two men turned physical.

The pair of highly paid senior executives had been attending a going-way party for Alex Connolly, the head of the HSE's communications office who was leaving to take up a position at Fáilte Ireland.

The row erupted towards the end of the night of Friday 18 July outside Nancy Hands bar and restaurant on Parkgate Street in Dublin, where the party took place. While an ambulance was not called, it is believed that one of the men subsequently attended a hospital to have his broken arm treated.

The HSE has declined to confirm that he is currently on sick leave.

August 3, 2008

Comments

#1 GMA commented, on August 3, 2008 at 10:47 a.m.:

Hope he had insurance.

#2 John commented, on August 3, 2008 at 6:37 p.m.:

One wonders how the CEO of the HSE, will deal with this. It certainly calls his judgment into question as the most senior executives comprising his "kitchen cabinet" were hand picked by him - perhaps it is now time he and they went! This episode is the tip of the iceberg of the high level problems in a service where the leader is not a manager and where his closest advisors are inexperienced in working at such a senior level in a very complex environment.

#3 Jerry M. commented, on August 4, 2008 at 1:13 a.m.:

This sounds like a classic HSE case of one person 'going off his trolley' and presumably putting another person on it ( in the A and E).

#4 Des O'H commented, on August 5, 2008 at 3:46 p.m.:

#2 John sounds like a disgruntled "insider"

#5 KCH commented, on August 5, 2008 at 7:35 p.m.:

...really, what has this incident got to do with where these people work? If the story was "Two Factory Workers Get Into Drunken Brawl At Work Do", I doubt The Tribune would have run the story...

#6 Greg commented, on August 6, 2008 at 10:46 a.m.:

What were they wearing? What were they drinking? Did they quarrel over HSE policy or a woman or the next round? (Remember the Gards outside the US Embassy fighting over the next round?) Was anyone else hurt? How do you break your arm in a brawl? If it wasn't during working hours then who cares? On the other hand, maybe it's good to see that these people really do have some energy, even if it may have been misdirected on this occasion.

#7 2F2L commented, on August 6, 2008 at 3:45 p.m.:

Brilliant!

#8 Embarrassed commented, on August 7, 2008 at 12:03 a.m.:

What about the standards of behaviour required from people in public positions of responsibility?

Time to weed out these people and let the talented staff get on with the job. Monetary cost would be lower and no cost to reputation.

#9 Amused commented, on August 7, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.:

#4 sounds like a Deise supporter.

#10 2F2L commented, on August 7, 2008 at 4:11 p.m.:

Glad to see that these over payed idiots are putting our tax payers money to good use by getting plastered in Nancy Hands and then beating the bejaysus out of one another on the street. Morons. Obviously no disciplinary action will be taken against these fools...it is the HSE after all.

#11 ms commented, on August 11, 2008 at 1:07 p.m.:

KCH is wrong to imply it was the same as two factory workers in a drunken brawl at a work do. Factory workers are not public servants paid lots of money by taxpayers, don't have to maintain a proper standard of behaviour in public (actually it was at a 'farewell' party for a public relations exec - you couldn't make it up!), don't lecture us about drunken/loutish behaviour, overcrowding in our A&E departments and certainly aren't responsible for running our health service. There are probably other differences but I can't think of them now.

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