Health Minister Called Upon To Confront HSE Over South Westmeath Hospice

The Chief Officer CHO8 - which includes the midlands was also included in the appeal.

The Dáil has heard a call for the Health Minister to engage with the HSE and instruct them to communicate with the South Westmeath Hospice committee. 

Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke raised the issue in the chamber today stating that:

“I have written to the Fianna Fáil Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and to the Chief Officer CHO8 Mr Des O’Flynn today asking them to ensure all engagement with South Westmeath Hospice Committee is conducted in a meaningful and constructive manner."

“I refuse to believe we as citizens and more importantly as legislators have created a society where written agreements can be disregarded and ignored by the Health Service Executive or any statutory body of the state.  If a voluntary committee who have fund raised and sacrificed and built this hospice at the request of the then Midland Health Board, must resort to legal avenues to have agreements honored then fundamental change needs to happen. 

“In the strongest possible terms I am calling on the Fianna Fáil Minister to instruct the relevant sectors within the Department he leads to act in a professional manner, to desist with any hard line positions and meet the committee with a view to resolving this matter.  These issues are not beyond the capacity of reasonable and reasoned people to resolve. 

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