No orthopaedic operations in Kerry for months
THE health service is in a shambles and people have totally lost confidence in the service in County Kerry, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae told the Dáil.
“There have been no hip replacement or orthopaedic procedures carried out in County Kerry for at least four months,” he said. “People who need a hip or knee replacement are in significant pain. The ear, nose and throat section of University Hospital Kerry in Tralee is currently closed. People awaiting a hospital appointment in Cork are choking and afraid to sleep at night. Each day 25 patients on trolleys are awaiting attention in University Hospital Kerry. People are waiting to see consultants who are not even there.
We have a Taoiseach, a Tánaiste, a Minister for Health, three Ministers of State at the Department of Health and a Government, but we have no proper health service for the people of County Kerry.”
Deputy Healy-Rae said the Government is allowing the HSE “to blackguard the people of County Kerry” and not give vulnerable people the service they deserve. “Deputy Leo Varadkar is the Taoiseach and ultimately responsible for this situation, but he is doing nothing about it. The health service is failing the people I represent,” he said.
Fianna Fáil Deputy John Brassil said all orthopaedic operations were stopped for several months as a result of an infection control issue which was resolved a number of weeks ago. “I spoke to the chief executive officer, CEO, of the group but, as yet, operations have not resumed. I ask the Taoiseach to look into this to ensure a speedy return to orthopaedic surgery.”
In reply, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he did not have specific information relating to University Hospital Kerry in front of him but he would certainly ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to provide the information to the Deputies from Kerry.
“For the information of the House, when it comes to operations and procedures, it is one of the areas where we are seeing some real progress,” he said. “The number of people waiting for a procedure - hips, eyes, cataracts, knees and angiograms - is down on this time last year and 59% of patients are now waiting less than six months for those procedures, so it is one of the areas, unlike outpatients, unfortunately, where we are seeing some real progress.”
Granting of Ballylongford planning permission criticised
THE granting of a five year extension to planning permission for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal at Ballylongford by An Bord Pleanála was strongly criticised in the Dáil by Independent People Before Profit Deputy Bríd Smith. “How is this proposal compatible with the State’s commitment to tackle climate change, given that Ireland has banned fracking and given the likelihood, should the proposal proceed, that fracked gas from North America will be used off the Irish coast?” she asked. “This seems to fly in the face of the Minister’s (Denis Naughten) commitment to tackle climate change. I congratulate the Friends of the Irish Environment on successfully challenging this decision in the High Court and having an injunction placed on it.”
In reply, Minister Naughten said the location, development and final investment decisions for these projects are ultimately the responsibility of the project promoters. “In addition, it is the responsibility of the project promoters to comply with any legal and regulatory requirements, including requirements for planning permission, other consents or permits, and related environmental impact assessments,” he said.
The production, sourcing, buying and selling of natural gas produced outside this jurisdiction is an operational matter for the undertakings involved, he said. “There are a number of supply sources, with North America potentially one of those. Qatar is the largest producer of natural gas in the world and provides a substantial amount of LNG to Wales.”
“The reality as the Deputy knows is that we are reliant on gas coming in through the interconnectors with the UK. If for geopolitical reasons gas was turned off in eastern Europe, it would have significant implications for employment, individuals and families in this country. My priority has to be to ensure that people have heat and electricity in the morning when they get up and that they have jobs to go to.”
Speaking in the Seanad, Fianna Fáil Senator Ned O’Sullivan said he was delighted to tell the House that the Shannon LNG project, which he had been very involved in and supported for almost 12 years, is about to come to fruition with new investors. “It is facing one final hurdle, which is an attempted injunction next month,” he said. “We will let that case take its course. Work should hopefully begin in January, with 500 valuable jobs for us in the Mid-West region.” POST offices have been part of the fabric of rural communities since the foundation of the State, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae told the Dáil. Speaking during a debate on a Sinn Fein motion opposing the proposed closures, he said 12 post offices are to close in County Kerry. , “Nine post offices in one part of north Kerry are being closed,” he said. “The Minister says rural communities can appeal and look for a contract to be issued to a new provider but he also says the appeal must be submitted.”
People in rural communities have been shocked and are reeling at what is happening in their parishes, he said. “The Government says that by closing one post office it is saving two.
“How does the Minister explain closing nine in one part of north Kerry? What will happen is that people will get their pensions paid into their bank accounts. They will not go to the bigger towns or leave their own communities.”
Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Ferris said nearly 400 people attended a meeting about the closure of the post office in Ballinskelligs. “The post office in Mastergeehy will also be closed, meaning the two post offices in the only Gaeltacht area in South Kerry will be shut. That is a nice statement to those trying to promote the Irish language and ensure it survives.”