Daly calls on County Council members to oppose closure of ward in St. Vincent’s , Athy

Speaking on the motion which he had put forward to Kildare County Council meeting opposing the closure of St. Camilus’ Ward in St Vincent’s Hospital, Athy, Cllr Richard Daly called on all of the councillors for support
“We sit here around this chamber wondering how we can make Kildare a better place to live while at the south of the county 26 elderly people have long term hospital beds removed. When events like this happen this is not a county or a country that we can be proud of. Yes, we know that there are economic difficulties to be faced and that €4 billion must be found to pay for the flagrant and irresponsible government of the past but I doubt that there is a person in this country who could approve of this injustice as an economic reaction.
My colleague on Mary O’ Sullivan on Athy Town council had unanimous support for a similar motion on the issue and my colleague Cllr Mark Wall successfully tabled a comprehensive motion on the issue at area Committee level and today it behoves us all to support this motion at county level.
There can hardly be a councillor here who is not aware of the good work done by St. Vincent’s hospital in Athy and there is hardly a family within the county which has not benefitted from the care and comfort of the facilities offered there.
I for one will not accept that this facility must suffer such a cutback. I will not see elderly people faced with costs of between €3000 and €5000 per month for private nursing care while at the same time those in banking and the top end of the public service are receiving obscene and exorbitant golden handshakes for their part in our downfall
A political party is a gathering of people who share a common vision and fight an electoral campaign to achieve power and implement that philosophy. I know the soldiers of destiny sitting here in this chamber must feel a sense of revulsion at this unkind assault on our elderly and I know them to be honourable people. I am asking them especially to support this motion and not just to support it but to carry loudly a message back to their organisation that they will not support the eviction of the elderly in county Kildare.
If you feel any doubt I can bring you to visit the affected families where grandparents are now in fear of having nowhere to go when the families can no longer care for them, where some couples will not this year get a break from their continual care of Dad because there is no respite bed for him, where another man hopes for speedy end because he cannot bear to see his son and daughter in law worry about how to find the finance for the nursing home care which he now requires.”
“This closure of St Camilus’ ward is not a temporary measure, it is not a final act but is the herald of future cuts in the provision of medical service to our region as the health authority for the region sinks deeper in debt in a country where the elderly and the young have become the collateral for the failed developer led economy” concluded Cllr. Daly.