Fr. John Joe Duffy, Chairperson of Save Our St Joseph’s Hospital Action Group, says that uncertainty reigns over the future of long stay accommodation in St Joseph’s Hospital Stranorlar.
Fr Duffy said he is gravely concerned by the alleged failure of Minister Jim Daly to correct Dail Records after an incorrect reply was given to Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher.
The HSE dismissed the reply which seemed to confirm the end of long stay accommodation at three community hospitals in Donegal. However, Fr Duffy claims there has been no written public correction of Minister Daly’s response.
Fr Duffy said: “Confusion reigns still over the future of long stay accommodation in St Joseph’s Hospital – what is the exact position concerning the future of the unit and what is the Government’s plan regarding the future of long stay/residential and Dementia accommodation for St. Joseph’s Hospital Stranorlar.
“Whilst Minister of State Jim Daly gave a brief radio interview to Highland Radio news in what appears to be an attempt to allay our fears especially after the earlier reply given to a parliamentary question by Minister Daly himself when he replied to a parliamentary question from Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher.
“Unfortunately nothing has materialised since in writing from Minister Daly’s Office or the Department of Health and furthermore the failure of the Minister to keep his appointment to be a live guest on Highland Radio is most concerning.
“It is most concerning that the public record remains intact as per the reply to the Dáil question, the record of
the Oireachtas has not been corrected by officials of the Department of Health, a single short interview on a local radio station by a Minister is certainly not going to address nor comprehensively deal with this most serious matter for the vulnerable and elderly in our communities.
“In addition, the failure of Minister Daly to officially correct his supposed error by way of amending the Dail record is most worrying and concerning for us as a committee.
“The fact that the Dail record stands is a matter of grave concern, for after all it was Minister Daly’s officials and he as the Minister signed off on this Dail question reply in the first instance – the question put went through all
appropriate channels in order to be answered.
“Furthermore the complete absence of any written correction or statement of correction from the
Department officials makes the situation less than certain at present, until such time as this confusion is dealt with we cannot have confidence in any reply supplied by anyone.
“This is only adding to the uncertainty on the future of these services at St. Joseph’s hospital, the entire situation has been extremely poorly handled by both the Minister and the Department thus far. It was bewildering to hear another Minister contradict the official answer of a fellow Minister, then the Minister to contradict in a short radio interview his own official answer that is on the record of Dail Eireann, then to hear him contradict his own officials and the Ministers’ failure to appear live on a radio programme for us to question him on the matter, especially in the context that the Dáil is currently not sitting until September so obtaining any answers from politicians at present is virtually impossible.
“It is little wonder why our confidence levels are at such low ebb surrounding the entire debacle which is a self-created mess of confusion and bewilderment by rhe Government and Department Officials.
“Not for the first time has a Government Minister or a HSE official disagreed with a colleague or flipped flopped on what us a very important issue for many people in our communities.
“This sad, sorrowful and unacceptable saga continues putting the mental and physical health of residents, elderly family members and spouses under severe pressure until we get absolute clarity and the truth.
“We as a committee are left with no other option than to demand cast
iron assurances, written guarantees as we have received too many, far
too many varied versions by HSE and by Government Ministers. There
have been so many previous false dawns in this campaign not to mention
outbreaks of fake news on the part of others.
“We will work with any group or organisation in order to secure the
future and retention of long stay/residential and dementia
accommodation and all services in St. Joseph’s hospital, but we will
not sell our communities short on a whim on an unsecured promise. We
demand that our hospital will be equal in standard to any new build
community hospital in Letterkenny and Ballyshannon.
“We seek parity with the new hospitals to be built in this county, so that future
generations may avail of St. Joseph’s hospital, that it will be there
for their care , as it has been for our fore fathers and mothers,
providing care in our communities for over 150 years.
“The services must be fully retained, staff levels must be restored completely and
an absolute guarantee that the long stay accommodation and the
Dementia Unit remain as a central part of St Joseph’s Hospital ad
infinitum – without any doubt, without any fear or hesitation on our
part as a committee.
“We seek nothing more than to retain what we already have as services
in our community and until that future is secure and is sure beyond
question or reasonable doubt – our campaign will continue until such
time as we have obtained our objectives.
“We need to see plans from Government and the HSE that will secure our
services for future generations and we need to see a full reversal
from Government and the HSE of Minister Lynch’s 2016 announcement and
a written public correction of Minister Daly’s answer to the
parliamentary question of Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, so that the
present Government policy for the replacement and removal of services
and long stay beds and the Dementia Unit from St. Joseph’s can be
fully reversed.” – Fr John Joe Duffy. Chairperson Save Our St Joseph’s Hospital Action Group .