TributesforEmma, advocate for a better health service
TRIBUTES were paid in the Dáil to the late Emma Mhic Mhathúna following her death in her adopted home in Kerry. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said and she would be a big loss not only to her family but also to the community, which liked and admired her as an advocate against injustices that were done to people who were let down.
“She has sadly lost her life in a way that should not have happened,” he said. “It is terribly sad and it is right and fitting to pay tribute to her, her bravery and how she gave up her own time, when it was so precious to her, to highlight the injustice that was done,” he said. “She was an advocate not just for herself but also for other people who were misdiagnosed and who are sadly living with a death sentence following the misdiagnoses.”
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said Ms Mhic Mhathúna was a wonderful person and the people in Ballyferriter made her their own. “She was witty and everything that one would ask for in a nice person,” he said.
“Our health service let her down. It is sad to think that nobody has been held responsible for what happened to Emma and many other women like her. If somebody’s life was neglected or lost like this in any other system, somebody would be brought to account. It is time to call in the special branches of the Garda to see what happened and get a fair assessment. We must bring somebody to account for what happened in these sad cases. It is sad to think other women are out there with a death sentence hanging over them.”
In the Seanad all members rose for a minute’s silence at the start of business on Tuesday, 9 October.
Health Minister Simon Harris told senators Emma was a woman who strongly advocated for a better health service and shone such a bright light on why that is required in areas such as oversight, governance and accountability that clearly need so much improvement. “We think of Emma today, her family and community and we all pledge to build a better health service in her memory,” he added. THE increase in VAT to 13.5% small hotels, small guesthouses, pubs and hairdressers in rural areas was a huge mistake, Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Ferris told the Dáil.
“In saying that, I do not believe it is realised that people working in the small hotels, guesthouses and pubs are all local,” he said. “They are on the minimum wage. Whatever few bob they get is circulated in the local economy and helps to sustain the local economy.”
He accused Fianna Fáil members of being “absolute hypocrites” if they supported the measure. “Will ye stand on your own two feet? Have a bit of balls, stand up and play it by your conscience. That is what you should do.”
Minister of State Brendan Griffin said he acknowledged the challenge this change will bring for many people around the country. “Those who are charging more will pay more,” he said. “The hotel in Dublin that is charging €400 for a room will pay an additional €18 as a result of this measure. The hotel in Belmullet, West Clare or South Kerry that is charging €59 will pay €2.65 extra. Yes, it is a charge the hotel would prefer not to have, but those who are charging more will pay more under this.”
There was, he said, a 25 per cent increase in the amount of money provided for tourism spend in 2019. “Nobody is talking about that. That is an unprecedented increase in tourism spend. It will be targeted at rural communities, increasing the regionality and seasonality of the tourism industry and managing the current unprecedented success in Irish tourism.”
The Dáil passed the measure by 64 to 36 with 43 abstentions. Kerry,” he said. “I am worried about whether the money being delivered in this budget will have enough of an impact to make a difference to those people’s lives.”
In respect of the additional €121 million for HAP in 2019, he said he was disappointed that there people who refuse to accept HAP. “That is wrong,” he said. “If a person is renting a property, even though it is his or her property and he or she is entitled to do with it as he or she wishes, there should not be any such thing as looking worse at people who are on HAP, RAS or any other payment. Those people should be treated the same by the property owner and they should be given the opportunity to rent that property.”
However, Deputy Healy-Rae said the caps in County Kerry are well below the market rents and that is an issue that has to be dealt with. “The change to the amount of interest that may be deducted in respect of loans used to purchase property is welcome,” he said. “We need the private sector to help us deal with the list of people waiting for housing.”One thing left out of the Budget he said was the restoration of the death grant. “As we know people need help and assistance when they are vulnerable and ill,” he said. “When people die, their families also need assistance. The full restoration of the death grant should be implemented. I was hoping it would have been implemented in full in this budget but I will certainly continue to lobby for that.”
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said the Minister for Finance had allocated €700m more to the health service, bringing the total extra allocation for the year to €1.2bn, but would it make a difference to those people waiting on trolleys? “In Kerry general hospital this year there was an average of 25 people day after day waiting on trolleys before they could get a bed.”