Nenagh’s Dr. Mary Ryan says that there has been a vacuum of information when it comes to refugees and immigration in Ireland.
The Consultant Endocrinologist had previously voiced her concerns that Ireland was taking in more refugees than the health system could handle and was putting increased pressure on already stretched services.
She told Tipp Today that people just want to know Ireland is taking in an equal share when compared with other countries.
“Well we don’t know you see because we haven’t been given the figures, but it was suggested a few months ago that we were doing more than our fair share, but we need to know that and that is something if people were told that you know everyone is taking the same amount then they would sort of feel, because it is of course putting pressure on society. Yes of course we want to help people coming from war of course we want to help out but there needs to be more communication, a better strategy, for example it is wrong to be putting them into houses and leaving them there to themselves for months on end not giving them something to do, they might love to be involved and some of them are engineers, highly qualified and that needs to be looked at.”
She says that Ireland is a compassionate place, but the system for those living in the country and indeed immigrants coming is inadequate.
“Our elderly – I feel very strongly about the fact that we are not looking after out elderly very well. We forget that the people who are now in their 80s and 90s worked in England the majority sent back money to rear the young kids at home, we are not looking after them properly. All of these needs need to be addressed. Leo Varadkar is not listening to people ,yes we want to help out but at the same time we don’t want 12,000 homeless, that has to be looked after, and there is extra pressure on society, there needs to be a proper strategy -are you going to get more Doctors, teaches nurse, this is a democracy.”
