Fianna Fáil’s Jackie Cahill has raised the case of a Nenagh man in the Dáil in an attempt to get adult day centres reopened.
Day facilities for adults with disabilities remain closed since the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions in March, and deputy Cahill says that users are in desperate need for them to be reopened.
Speaking in the Dáil, he raised the case of Alan Clifford whose mother is finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the lack of services.
“Since March 3rd this year Alan has had no access to services whatsoever as a result of the Covid lockdown.”
“His mother Kathleen is Alan’s sole carer and she is left in a situation of having to seek out different sorts of help from friends and leave from work to take care of her son while also trying to juggle her work commitments.”
“At this stage all of Kathleen’s leave has diminished and yet there’s still no sign of a service resuming for Alan.”
Jackie Cahill has told also the Dáil that a full-time Emergency Department needs to be reinstated at Nenagh General Hospital.
He has requested that the Health Minister would make the move, particularly due to the challenges facing acute hospitals this winter.
The 24-hour ED at Nenagh Hospital was first downgraded in 2009, and has been replaced by a Local Injuries Unit on site.
Deputy Cahill believes that Covid-19 necessitates that Nenagh’s ED be reopened urgently.
“As it stands at the moment UHL is serving North Tipperary outside of 9 to 5 hours.”
“And as we enter what’s going to be a unique winter for us with unique challenges with Covid still present in our community I request urgently that the A&E in Nenagh would be opened on a 24/7 basis. I think this is absolutely essential to take some of the pressure off UHL.”
