Mattie McGrath demands vaccine dates for frontline carers
Mattie McGrath spoke on 11 March 2021, pressing the Minister for Health and the Deputy Minister for written answers and demanding definite vaccination dates for frontline carers in Garrity Corner. He criticised the vaccine rollout and procurement as feeble and raised urgent concerns about interim doctor losses, the Children's Hospital project, and local hospital closures.
Written answers and accountability
He said he has not received a written answer from the Minister for Health or the Deputy Minister since last September and insisted elected representatives have a duty to get replies. He told the minister that questions cannot be serenely evaded and requested written responses rather than repeated returns to the chamber.
Vaccination dates for Garrity carers
He highlighted Garrity Corner frontline workers and community carers who have stepped up throughout the pandemic and said they are losing staff and supports. He demanded a definite vaccination date and surety for carers, saying they are vulnerable and urgently require prioritisation in the rollout.
Interim doctor losses at Clarmel
He raised the imminent loss of interim doctors, saying 10 interim posts are at risk and that 19 doctors have been there since last July during the pandemic. He warned that if no new doctors arrive this summer many will emigrate, leaving the hospital under-resourced.
Children's Hospital concerns and local closures
He questioned the status and costs of the Children's Hospital project after contact from Jonathan Erwin and the Jack and Jill Foundation, asking whether the build is stalled and whether costs are 2 billion or 3 billion. He referred to reports of overruns, social media incidents among staff, and described the project as stuck in a quagmire. He also criticised the closure of local hospitals in St. Bridges and Carrick and Shure during the pandemic and said the minister should meet residents, staff and councillors about the closures.
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I have never got a written answer in spite of asking here since last September from the Minister for Health or the Deputy Minister. Never. We ask for them and we don't get them. That is an application of his duty. We are elected by the people to ask the questions. I want to speak about the Garrity Corner. Our front line, who have to deal with every situation and have done so gallantly, and the community Garrity have stepped up to their plate and they are losing out their numbers and losing their cares, but we need to have a definite date of vaccination for the Garrity. Tom Finn and the G.R.A. Rep and his colleagues have been on to me in Tipperary. You're still doing job. They need a date and they have to get a date, Minister. Carers, front line carers, I know all the speakers have asked the same questions this morning here. They are in a very vulnerable situation, looking after the most vulnerable people. We need a date for that and we need a surety and we haven't got much a surety from the statements and from the feeble effort to roll out and procure. It's shocking. Minister, I also want to ask about the loss of 10 interim doctors. We have 19 since last July in Clarmel in the middle of a pandemic. We have to lose them this July and get no new doctors coming out and they'll have to all immigrate. We can't afford to lose more than half. Minister, but you're down the road. Many of your patients go into Clarmel Hospital. This is shocking. The Children's Hospital Minister. I've been contacted by Jonathan Erwin, a renowned businessman and caring man for the Children's Hospital and Jack and Jill Foundation. Where is it at? Is it completely forgotten about in the quagmire and the bog and the dark black hole out there? And is it at 2 billion or 3 billion? Or can we get any update as to where it is at? I know the site where the site is. It's not there. Whether the building project, whether the overruns and costs, will it be finished? We know there was a big fist fight among the employees. There's some time ago on social media. And they could go wrong. There's some kind of a curse on it. Why wouldn't they be with the black island that's going on? So, Minister, I want those answers from yourself. I don't know what time is left in the clock today, but I want them in writing. I'm not going to have to come back here next week, or a week after next again, and ask you. You have a duty to reply to the questions that we ask here, and you can't evade our questions. You have evaded them serenely since you were appointed, and it's shocking. And Minister Butler as well. And you closed the hospital in St. Bridges and Carrick and Shure in the middle of a pandemic. You, Minister Butler, should be ashamed of yourself out the road and won't meet the residents. I won't meet the staff. I won't meet the people or the councillors in Carrick and Shure. Thank you.
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