EDITORIAL: HSE accused of misleading public over alarming U-turn in Tipperary
In this week's Nationalist and Tipperary Star
The Health Service Executive, or the Department of Health, or the Minister for Health, it’s hard to know who is running the show, but they really don’t help themselves at times.
They have given opposition TDs a stick to beat them with and have caused palpitations for Government TDs, senators and local councillors.“
Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has called for a public meeting this Thursday saying that after years of relative inaction in the development of a Community Nursing Unit on-site the HSE has now performed a U-turn and has ascertained that St Patrick’s Hospital is no longer considered suitable for that purpose due to curious issue with parking spaces”.
It has been confirmed that a site in Cashel town is currently being reviewed by the HSE for suitability for the new CNU and that services are still being provided at St Patrick’s Hospital in Cashel and will continue to be.
But basically, the St Patrick’s site is not suitable for the new CNU and this is seen as the HSE abandoning the facility.
Fine Gael’s Cllr Declan Burgess has accused the HSE of “misleading the public on this project”. “What happened to the original study and review that chose St Patrick’s and identified it as a suitable site.”
He added: “I will not accept this development being withdrawn from the original site where it truly belongs and this recent news on this issue is sadly another clear example of the HSE failing Cashel”.
Now, despite the understandable bluster, it’s important to note that provision has been made in this year’s National Capital Plan to progress a 60-bed CNU for Cashel.
But why blindside locals and public representatives with a huge change in direction for the project and does it jeopardise the future of St Patrick’s Hospital?
Given what happened to St Brigid’s in Carrick-on-Suir, you can understand people’s scepticism and concern.