Alan Kelly "disappointed" he wasn't invited to Roscrea meeting

Former Leader of the Labour Party and Tipperary TD, Alan Kelly, told the Midland Tribune he is "disappointed that the government didn't have the courtesy" to invite him to a meeting described as a "turning point" for the future of long-term residential care in Roscrea.

Roscrea's Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Home was the subject of a meeting on Friday last (July 29) where a delegation from the Dean Maxwell Action Group met with Taoiseach Micháel Martin and Ministers at government buildings and had what they described as a “very successful meeting”.

The meeting was chaired by the Taoiseach and attended by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and Minister for Older People, Mary Butler and Independent Tipperary TD, Michael Lowry, who facilitated the meeting and requested the Taoiseach's attendance.

Tipperary Fianna Fáil TD, Jackie Cahill and Roscrea based County Councillors Michael Smith (FF) and Shane Lee (IND) and the Dean Maxwell Action Group, represented by Anne Keevey, David Kiernan and John Lupton also participated. Government Departmental Officials were also there, including officials from the HSE, headed by Marie Bridgeman, Manager of the HSE in the Mid West.

Taoiseach's Roscrea meeting is a "turning point" for the Dean Maxwell

However, Deputy Kelly, who had attended the numerous heated public meetings in Roscrea before the pandemic to explore possible solutions to preserve Roscrea's complement of long-term care beds in the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Home, was not present because he was not invited. 

"While I was disappointed that the Government  didn’t have the courtesy to invite me to a meeting with the Taoiseach last week regarding the future of Dean Maxwell, I’m glad to hear that a commitment has been made that long stay beds will be kept", Deputy Kelly told the Tribune today.

"It was very disappointing and against normal practice that other local TDs were left out of such a meeting. It also went against the recent partnership approach that had been built up locally to work on this issue.

"While it is very disappointing that a more definitive outcome didn’t come from the meeting, what is important now though is that a pathway to a solution is found that ensures that Dean Maxwell and it’s compliment of beds and services will continue into the future as part of an overall solution to elderly care in the Roscrea area", Deputy Kelly said.

"I believe this solution has to ensure major capital and current investment in the Dean Maxwell as well ensuring that the overall compliment of beds and services in the Roscrea area are maintained. I will support a solution built around those principles and in my ongoing discussions with the HSE I relayed the same.

"There has been enough false dawns and promises regarding the future of this fantastic facility. It is time to have a definitive solution and I will continue to work with everyone to achieve that", Deputy Kelly said.