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Deirdre Heenan

Deirdre Heenan

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Deirdre Heenan: They control billions in spending but who are the people appointed to all these public bodies?

Deirdre Heenan: They control billions in spending but who are the people appointed to all these public bodies?

MORE than 30 years ago I undertook research examining the system of public appointments in the north. It highlighted serious concerns about the...

14.04.2026 10

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

The DUP’s nonsensical opposition to minimum alcohol pricing will cost lives

MIKE Nesbitt looks set to be the fifth health minister to have attempted to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol and failed. He announced last...

30.03.2026 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Ageism in health care is real and should be a worry for all of us

COUNTLESS articles and reports have been written about the crisis in health and social care in Northern Ireland. We have become accustomed to reading...

16.03.2026 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Deirdre Heenan: If MLAs had an ounce of self-awareness, they would reject their unjust pay rise

IT’S a politically toxic issue. How much is an MLA worth? Should we pay our politicians more? The answer rests upon fundamental ideas about...

02.03.2026 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Performative political reporting serves no-one

Undoubtedly Keir Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson raises serious questions about his judgement and the role of strategists in a...

16.02.2026 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Has Mike Nesbitt got the political courage to finish the job?

03.02.2026 10

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

No-one expects a land of milk and honey, but surely we can do better than this?

19.01.2026 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Banning social media for children is not the answer

06.01.2026 200

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Time to move on from the politics of posturing to problem-solving

22.12.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

It’s time to focus on the causes of ill-health, not just the cure

08.12.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Cervical smear scandal women let down by system failures in health service

10.11.2025 10

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Thank you President Higgins, you have been music to our ears

28.10.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Deadly cancer delays cannot be allowed to become a routine part of our long waiting lists

14.10.2025 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Without a radical reset, Starmer’s Labour is heading for the rocks

29.09.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Sinn Féin’s suicide prevention bill is confused and ill-conceived

15.09.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

We need to talk about dementia

01.09.2025 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Labour’s policy of standing back from north is not working

18.08.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

A sub par or superb solution to the waiting list crisis?

04.08.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Shambles at SWAH is a case study on how not to transform healthcare

21.07.2025 40

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

The public are running out of patience with this dysfunctional Executive

07.07.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Fair play to Edwin Poots for putting it up to our politicians

23.06.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Blame for RVH cardiac unit fiasco should be laid firmly at health service management

09.06.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Time to rescue GP services before it’s too late

26.05.2025 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Nigel Farage will dance to any tune in his quest for power

12.05.2025 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

No point banging the same old drum about a border poll

28.04.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

A radical new approach to wellbeing is required

15.04.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

By punching down on some of the poorest in society, has Labour lost its moral compass? 

31.03.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

The latest damning report on our health service should make us sit up and be angry. Very angry

17.03.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Ambiguous targets, uncertain budgets – the thousands in pain on waiting lists deserve better than this

06.03.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

The Department of Health has produced a road map with no destinations when we need decisions now

04.03.2025 30

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Dear Mike, we’ve had our fill of false promises – lead us please from intention to action on health reform

17.02.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

AI and better data are key to improving our health, so why isn’t Stormont talking about it?

04.02.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan

Astounding lack of action to tackle our hospitals’ delayed discharges

20.01.2025 20

The Irish News

Deirdre Heenan