Mattie McGrath: 'Absolute neglect' at hospitals after closures
Mattie McGrath spoke on 24 Sep 2024 about alleged failures in regional hospital services and recent closures. He blamed the minister for closing Eireann, Sir John's and Innes, described conditions at Emerick University Hospital as shocking, and demanded investigations and accountability.
Main allegations
McGrath said that a death at UHL was almost certainly avoidable and called the situation at Emerick University Hospital a "shocking appalling vista." He blamed recent hospital closures and the lack of beds and staff for creating overcrowded, unsafe conditions.
Local services affected
He accused the minister of failing to save local hospitals and services, singling out closures affecting St Bridges in Carrick and Shure and hospice beds removed from the area. He said communities in Port Long, Garry, Waterford and South Kilkenny had been "piddled on" by the closures.
Mental health and suicides
McGrath said St Michael's and mental health services in Clonmel were closed and linked the loss of local mental health provision to people taking their own lives. He warned that crowded A&E departments left people with nowhere to go.
Calls for investigations and discipline
He said CEO Heather had spoken on the radio about possible repercussions and called for formal investigations and charges, alleging neglect and uncaring treatment. McGrath said there had been cover-ups and called for Garda involvement and legal consequences where appropriate.
Management and accountability criticism
McGrath accused senior management of systemic failure, arguing there was "zero consequences" for those who neglect patients. He urged ministers to accept responsibility and said it was not fair for the public to bear the cost of mismanagement.
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I guess if a Johnson's death at UHL was almost certainly undividable, it's a shocking appalling vista of what's happening, what's going on day in day out in Emerick University Hospital, all because of your government minister that closed down Eireann and closed down indeed Sir John's and closed down Innes and expected in a place without getting the beds to add a staff to handle it to do this work and I hear you quipping across the floor there to Deputy Tobin that Minister Donnie saved Navon. Why didn't you save St Bridges in Carrick and Shure at your back door, at your back door and appalling vista again and you closed the hospital with hospice beds and piddled on the people of Carrick and Shure and your own area in Port Long, Garry, Waterford and South Kilkenny. Shame on you as I said and shame on you at the moment the way the health services are being ran. You closed St Michael's and mental health services in Clonmel and every second week unfortunately people are taking their own lives and I guess there's no place to go into a crowded A&E but in the Midwest I believe we have hearing from the CEO Heather on the radio on Sunday that there's going to be repercussions and there's going to be discipline. The discipline is that the Garry should be investigating man's daughter at the very least and people should be charged with man's daughter if not worse because there was absolute neglect, absolute uncaring, absolute bedlam. I don't blame the nurses and the ordinary people on the ward to do their best. This is ongoing day in day out where the people of North Tip really have to go up there. They're coming down to Clonmel, they're going anywhere but to Limerick. That's the name it has now. There's a bad, systemic, bad management and you're afraid to tackle senior management. You're afraid and it's cover up after cover up and that's the situation. It's not fair and it's not good enough for the people. No accountability whatsoever. The children's hospital, you name it, don't mind what we talk about. Absolutely zero consequences for people who neglect and you Minister, Minister Donnelly, Minister Rabbit and the other colleagues at the German Minister should take the blame. Your responsibility, if you'd like to take the credit, take the blame where you should take it. Thank you.
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