Elderly woman in Offaly left without heat in freezing conditions in her home last weekend
Independent councillor says council's Emergency Out of Hours service 'is not functioning'
An elderly woman was left without heat in freezing conditions last weekend as Offaly County Council's Emergency Out Of Hours Service was not functioning.
That's according to Tullamore based Independent councillor, Sean O'Brien, who as called for a review of the system.
He said he had been contacted by people who have called the Emergency Out Of Hours Council number and logged the issue but there is no adequate response.
“I have made follow up calls to the number on their behalf and again the response was not adequate,” he added.
Cllr O'Brien continued: “The staff taking the calls are excellent and they are equally frustrated that there has not been a response on the ground. People call this number because it is an emergency and they deserve a response. In one case a call was made on Friday last, January 5, and as of Monday, January 8, there was no response. In another case a tenant made a call concerning a leak from a gas fired heating system and it took 48 hours for a response."
He said that on Friday last there was a leak in the heating system of an elderly woman. “Her son called the emergency number and was assured that a plumber would be asked to call Meanwhile he dealt with the leaking water and cut off the heating. He called again on Saturday morning, but no response. He then called me and I immediately called the emergency number and was assured that it would be dealt with. Her son called again on Saturday evening and by Monday morning there was no response. Leaving an elderly woman with no heating in extreme freezing conditions is simply not acceptable," stated Cllr O' Brien.
"I have been in contact with the Chief Executive of the Council about this issue and I asked that the service be reviewed as we have an obligation to our tenants that emergency issues be dealt with out of hours,” he stressed.