Consultation needed to lessen pressure on GP and other essential services from refugee and asylum seeker accommodation

Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has called for ongoing consultation with communities hosting refugees and asylum seekers, in particular for the Government to outline its plans to address the increased strain placed on GP services as a result of the arrival of Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, citing his hometown in East Clare as an example.

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ACRES

2.8 litre diesel landcruisers while telling us to go electric…cutting farmers’ funds in environmentally designated areas while talking up the Nature Restoration Law…claiming to be personally putting money in farmers’ pockets when administering taxpayers’ funds…shameless.

Local authority water workers

Local authority water workers were promised there would be no change to the terms and conditions of their employment whether they transferred to Irish Water or remained as Council employees. Now, they’re being told that this will not be the case if they do not transfer to Irish Water, and strike action is imminent. I asked if the Government would intervene to ensure the promises made are kept.  

Agri-Food Regulator

An amendment to the Agri-Food Regulator Bill to enable to regulator to go the High Court for an Order compelling the provision of data sought in the event that it wasn’t being provided was not accepted by the Minister for Agriculture.

Wastewater Infrastructure in coastal communities

Developing wastewater infrastructure in unsewered settlements is neither the responsibility of local authorities nor Irish Water. Therefore, despite the environmental and economic necessity and a budget surplus, communities all over Ireland have little prospect of a resolution.

In the Dáil today, I raised the plight of Clare coastal communities such as Carrigaholt, Doolin, Spanish Point, Miltown Malbay and Quilty.

Our Health is Our Wealth – Time to invest in electronic health records nationally, MAUs and LIUs at Tier 2 Hospitals, and Medical Officers at Nursing Homes  

That Dáil Éireann:

recognises that:

–  University Hospital Limerick was the most overcrowded hospital in the country (18,028) followed by Cork University Hospital (12,439), University Hospital Galway (10,150), Sligo University Hospital (8,136) and St Vincent’s University Hospital (7,513); and

–   67,000 patients waited at least a day in their Emergency Departments before being admitted during 2022.

–  584,600 patients were waiting at the end of 222 to be seen at an outpatient clinic for the first time by a consultant; and

– Waiting list numbers reduced by 4% in 2022, significantly lower than the government’s waiting list reduction target of 18% for the year.

– Ireland remains a laggard in Europe for digitisation in the health system and the introduction of electronic health records

            – the use of such technology could significantly reduce triage times in emergency departments

– There remains a lack of a specific national structure or control for clinical oversight of the care of people admitted to nursing homes and they have difficulty accessing treatment by primary care teams

– the lack of such oversight and care can result in unnecessary presentations at Emergency Departments

acknowledges:

  • The creation of an additional 7,176 patient slots per year across the UL Hospitals Group following the recent introduction of a seven-day service at MAU’s in Nenagh and St. John’s;
  • The ongoing recruitment by UL Hospitals Group for additional doctors, nurses, health and social care professionals and administrative staff; and
  • The changing of HSE protocols to allow non-emergency department doctors assess patients in the ED where there is a significant risk due to delay.
  • The Government allocating €350m under the Waiting List Plan in 2022 to reduce active waiting lists.
  • The European Investment Bank loaned the State €200 million to implement electronic health records more than three years ago
  • On 14 May 2021, the HSE was the subject of a major ransomware cyberattack, the most significant cybercrime attack on any Irish state agency and the largest known attack against a health service computer system.
  • Local Injury Units (LIU) deliver efficient, expert treatment to tens of thousands of patients with minor injuries every year and have been of crucial assistance in relieving pressure on Emergency Departments during the pandemic.
  • Medical Assessment Units (MAU) play an integral role in Emergency Department avoidance, providing a vital and timely service to GPs and patients; with approximately 10% of MAU cases may require admission to the hospital, and the majority will be discharged, with a follow-up review in the unit within 48 hours.

calls on the Government to:

  • Expand Medical Assessment Units (MAU) at Tier 2 hospitals to 24-hours, 7-days-a-week;
  • Expand Local Injuries Unit (LIU) at Tier 2 hospitals to 24-hours, 7-days-a-week
  • Appoint a designated medical officer in every nursing home and ensure that patients in nursing homes can access treatment by primary care teams
  • Procure or deliver an electronic health system to replace paper-based health records without further delay.
Housing debate

In a depressing debate for those in need of housing, the Government insists its measures are working when they are clearly inadequate and all opposition parties try to make private property owners the focus and blame them for the State’s failings over decades.

Lockdown Decisions

It is clear now that some of the measures adopted in response to COVID were unnecessary, some were ridiculous, some were inhumane, some had a long-lasting negative impact that outweighed any benefit, and it was clear at the time.

Irish Defence Forces and Ukraine

ARTICLE 28.3 Constitution of Ireland
1° War shall not be declared and 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮́𝗶𝗹 𝗘́𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗻.

The Dáil did not assent tonight to the participation of the Defence Forces in the EU Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine.

Ennis Hospital

The Taoiseach agreed with me that capacity at Ennis Hospital has to be increased as part of the solution to overcrowding at UHL. Plans drawn up a decade ago for a new block at the back of Ennis need to be resurrected.

CAHMS

The absence of IT systems and structures in the HSE and across the entire health service, including CAMHS, is a major blockage to its improvement and efficient functioning and needs to be addressed urgently.

Coillte

Coillte, as a state company, is treated differently by state agencies and departments, including the Forestry Division when it comes to observing environmental standards.

That contributes to the detrimental environmental impact of much of our forestry which was recently highlighted by the EU Commission.

Resourcing the Midwest health system

I attended a positive meeting about UHL yesterday with UL Hospitals Group management, the Health Minister, Taoiseach and fellow Oireachtas Midwest representatives. At long last, there was an acknowledgment that the Midwest hospital system is under-resourced compared to other regions of the State and that the Model 2 Hospitals, such as Ennis and Nenagh, are underutilised.

Overcrowding at UHL

Micheál Martin and his government failed the people of the Midwest by refusing to tackle the mounting problems at UHL. Leo Varadkar must now intervene.

I was shocked that the only proposal from the Government representative on today’s show was to call for mandatory face masks and “other restrictions”, and to call for young doctors and nurses to be forced to work in a chronically mismanaged health system.