Edwin McGreal
edwinmcgreal@mayonews.ie
Castlebar Town Council’s Cllr Michael Kilcoyne has slammed the reply given to the authority by a local HSE chief over a motion passed by the council opposing cuts to Home Help hours.
At the January meeting of Castlebar Town Council, councillors passed a motion calling on the HSE and the Minister for Health to ‘cease the practice of cutting home help hours due to financial considerations only’ and supporting the campaign against reductions to the Home Help service in Mayo.
Replying to the motion, Mr John Hennessy, Regional Director of Operations, HSE West said the motion was ‘noted’.
“You will be aware that the Health Act sets out the arrangements for the involvement of elected public representatives in the affairs of the Health Service Executive,” he said.
He stated that Mayo County Council have appointed four members to the Regional Health Forum West - Cllrs Austin Francis O’Malley, Tom Connolly, Annie May Reape and Seamus Weir and Mr Hennessy said ‘I would be happy to deal with any further queries they may have at Forum meetings’.
“In addition to its support of the Regional Health Forum, local HSE managers provide area based briefings to members and I am copying your motion to Mr Frank Murphy, Area Manager, Mayo Services, on that basis,” he concluded.
Describing the letter as ‘arrogant’ at last Tuesday’s meeting of Castlebar Town Council, Cllr Kilcoyne (Independent) accused Mr Hennessy of ignoring the views of elected councillors of Castlebar.
“Mr Hennessy clearly doesn’t know the difference between local authorities. We, the elected representatives of Castlebar Town Council, represent the people of this town. For a civil servant who is well paid to try to disregard the views of councillors is unbecoming of him,” he said.
Cllr Therese Ruane (Sinn Féin) described the home help cuts as ‘shameful’.
“The HSE has acknowledged there is an increase in demand for home help cuts and yet hours are reduced. These are shameful cuts, expecting home help to be provided in 15 minute and 30 minute slots. The more you cut home help, the more the pressue is on long-term care centres,” she said.
She added that the four Fine Gael TDs who voted against Sinn Féin’s motion to stop the home help cuts should be ashamed of their actions.
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