JULIA’S PLEAS TO 5 MINISTERS… BUT SHE’S STILL IN LIMBO

SIX years after Julia Thurmann contracted a virus that left her paralysed, she began a campaign to get out of the nursing home and rebuild her life. She sent emails and letters seeking help to Government ministers, deputies, senators and councillors. Here’s a sample of her pleas to five ministers over the past three years – and their replies.

Writes to thenminister for Health Dr James Reilly on February 5, 2014

‘My name is Julia Thurmann. I am the 40-year-old, wheelchairbound woman who was featured in the recent RTÉ Prime Time programme. I would greatly appreciate if you could look into my case and help get me to a position of independent living...’

Response received on February 13, 2014

‘I am very sorry to hear of your plight. I will make enquiries on your behalf and revert to you.’

The MoS received no response from Mr Reilly when we contacted him this week.

Writes to thenminister for Environment, Community & Local Government Alan Kelly on October 27, 2014

‘Thank you very much for approaching me and giving me your card [after Prime Time]. Alan, I would be eternally grateful if you can help me in my case and to achieve independent living.’

Response received on October 29, 2014

‘While the Minister appreciates the circumstances of your situation, he has asked me to say that he has no statutory function in the allocation of

tenancies or transfer applications in local authority dwellings, which is entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.’

The MoS received no response from Mr Kelly when we contacted him this week.

Writes to thenminister for Health Leo Varadkar on November 14, 2014

‘I’m sure you can imagine the sights, sounds and smells I experience on a daily basis and come home to, not to mention when people are dying a few rooms down and the hearse parks outside, which are completely normal for a nursing home but not normal for a place I would call home.’

Response received from Department of Health on December 30, 2014

‘I understand that Fingal County Council continues to [try to] source a suitable property in your area of choice that meets your special needs. I trust that this clarifies the

matter for you.’

The MoS received no response from Mr Varadkar when we contacted him this week.

Writes to Joan Burton, thenminister for Social Protection, on November 22, 2014

‘When I first appeared on Prime Time there was a lot of attention to my case from the HSE, social services, media and politicians. I was very definitely encouraged by it all but feared I would soon become yesterday’s news and forgotten about again for years.’

Response on November 25, 2014

‘Unfortunately this correspondence is not proper to the Department of Social Protection. However, I will forward your enquiry promptly to the Department of Health for immediate attention and direct reply to you.’

Response received by MoS this week from Ms Burton:

‘I will contact my former Department of Social Protection to get my file on the case and will make contact with

Julia directly and get a current update from Fingal.’

Writes to Minister of State for Disability Issues Finian McGrath on October 1, 2017

‘It is nearly two years since the council made me a promise of a house in a new development in Swords. You can imagine the hope this gave me. Two years on, however, and nothing has happened.’

Mr McGrath obtains detailed response from Fingal County Council and passes it to Julia.

Response received by MoS this week from Mr McGrath:

‘It is unacceptable that any relatively young person would be living in and commuting to work out of a nursing home for so long. While every individual’s needs are different and many are complex it is my belief that people should be able to live their lives independently in the community. While I am aware of the supply difficulties faced by local authorities in allocating housing I will, through my office, make further enquiries without delay and in the meantime I will make personal contact with Ms Thurmann.‘

PS Julia also contacted TDs Regina Doherty, Clare Daly, Darragh O’Brien and Brendan Ryan, among others, as part of her campaign.