A brief pause from writing about #Sláintecare and #privatehealthinsurance in the national context to reflect on Irish healthcare EU law cases and the wider context of #solidarity in healthcare financing.
Many thanks to the REVEL network @maynoothuniversity.ie for a thought-provoking discussion!
Happy to share a new chapter on #stateaid and #healthcare! Drawing on #competition and #constitutionalism lenses to examine responses to COVID-19, and recent cases about Slovakian health insurance (Dôvera) and Italian public hospitals (Casa Regina).
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
This is a bit London-centric, but some good suggestions.
Looking forward to availing of the incredibly thoughtful leaving gift from my fantastic former colleagues - a trip to no. 1 on this list.
www.timeout.com/film/the-50-...
Noel Browne also developed a scheme for mothers and children partly influenced by the NHS which was blocked by members of the govt, medical profession and Catholic Church - this remains significant as Ireland still has yet to implement universal healthcare (though Sláintecare has made some progress)
This is awful. Another former sub postmaster has died, still waiting for compensation for being wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal.
Parmod Kalia had his conviction overturned in 2021, 20 years after being sentenced to six months in jail after being falsely accused of stealing £22,000
Love ‘News From Nowhere’!
Photograph of Wooden floor with hexagonal tessellation pattern found at Trinity College Dublin
Photo of a Lino block with hexagonal tessellation pattern carved in, along with lines to represent wood texture
Photo of monochrome Linoprints on Fabriano and Japanese papers
Photo of monochrome Lino print (black/white contrast) of hexagonal tessellated wooden floor at TCD
Outside work work-in-progress
Really enjoyed the discussions of the recent @euhealthgov.bsky.social webinar (and also contributing to the Symposium!)
Webinar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHmj...
Write-up: healthgovernance.ideasoneurope.eu/2026/02/27/s...
February reading
Check out this great JCMS article by Guderjan & Kölling on the EU’s Recovery & Resilience Facility. It shows how the RRF drove COVID-19 recovery and green/digital reforms while limiting parliamentary and local input.
Open access here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#EU #RRF #PublicPolicy
Lá Fhéile Bríde / St Brigid’s Day 2026
Blue sky with pink clouds over a street in central Dublin which includes a “Winter in Dublin” sign about 20 minutes after a lot of rain stopped
Blue sky with pink clouds over a street in central Dublin
Blue sky with pink clouds over a street in central Dublin by St Stephen’s Green
Blue sky with pink clouds over a street in central Dublin
When Dublin January rain lets up….
#blueskymonday
Fantastic to see the amazing @sainsburycentre.bsky.social feature in this listing of best museums in England!
www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/bes...
Rediscovering non-work reading courtesy of Dublin libraries
It might help if the “social care” added into the Departmental and Ministerial titles were backed up by a clearer mandate in statute - as happens in Northern Ireland. It wouldn’t solve everything by any means, but could signal more serious intent.
www.maryguy.com/occasional-b...
I’ve recently updated my personal landing site, so if you’re interested in what I do as regards Irish, EU and UK health law and policy – do take a look.
www.maryguy.com
This is great!
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice.” T.S. Eliot.
May the turning of the year offer time for reflection, and the opportunity for better things for all in 2026.
“Reframing Women Printmakers” by P.L. Henderson, and “The Love Object - Selected Stories” by Edna O’ Brien.
End of year reading
A belated happy birthday!
“I always forget how important the empty days are, how important it may be sometimes not to expect to produce anything, even a few lines in a journal. A day when one has not pushed oneself to the limit seems a damaged, damaging day, a sinful day. Not so! The most valuable thing one can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room.” May Sarton
Love this week for the possibility of “empty days”…
A collection of mostly linocut prints with designs for baubles by Mary, some are green against a white background and others are white against a black background. All arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree - the print at the top is a silver bauble collograph.
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas!
Excellent piece on Broadcasting House yesterday about the need to include "and Social Care" when introducing / discussing the (UK) Secretary of State for Health...
Some thoughts on this disconnect in law, and how the UK approach can learn from Northern Ireland...
www.maryguy.com/occasional-b...
Signing off for 2025 with thanks to all our followers, presenters and blog post contributors!
Check out the link for what our 2025 looked like - and also our call for papers for hashtag#UACES2026.
Best wishes for a restful winter break, and see you in 2026!
euhealthgov.org/updates/
