The exclusion of Shaen and Abbeyleix is inexcusable.
Responding to the announcement that an investment of €535 million into 90 public nursing homes Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley said
“While any announcement of investment in public nursing homes is welcome it‘s clear that Shaen and Abbeyleix have been completely ignored and in the case of Mountmellick what is in the plan raises a number of questions. The exclusion of Shaen and Abbeyleix is inexcusable.
The public consultation on these two hospitals was completed in August 2012 and the report on their future was to be released soon afterwards. Yet here we are, four years later with no report, no plan and no funding designated to upgrade or expand either Shaen or Abbeyleix. I have raised this numerous times with Ministers but have been met with evasion.“
While any funding for Mountmellick is welcome, people will be sceptical with the timing of the announcement on the eve of an election. There is also concern that Mountmellick will not be completed until at least 2021. This may be 2 or 3 Governments away. The fact that this is to be provided by way of Public Private Partnership means that a private company will have control over it. This is another step towards the privatisation of health services.
Deputy Stanley concluded by saying
“This Government has had 5 years to bring forward a plan for the upgrade of the 3 public nursing homes and begin to upgrade them and have failed to do so.“
