WRH proposed downgrade - protest on Saturday the 23rd of Feb

bookworms · 02-11-2012 11:35AM

Emails will get you nowhere..... You will be given a standard response regardless of the complexity of your issue. Or better again an email addressed to a different person, along with the intended reply for you with guess what . . . . . the standard response. Happened to me earlier in the year regarding another health issue. Won't tell you which TD was involved. Just goes to show the attention to detail and concern these "representitives" have for their constituents.

Sully · 02-11-2012 11:49AM

bookworms wrote: »

Emails will get you nowhere..... You will be given a standard response regardless of the complexity of your issue. Or better again an email addressed to a different person, along with the intended reply for you with guess what . . . . . the standard response. Happened to me earlier in the year regarding another health issue. Won't tell you which TD was involved. Just goes to show the attention to detail and concern these "representitives" have for their constituents.

That's generally the procedure with all TDs/Ministers etc. Its why the Taoiseach was/is in a bit of hot water.

Baby4 · 02-11-2012 01:32PM

This post has been deleted.

thomasm · 02-11-2012 02:10PM

John Halligan statement re non attendance last night on Facebook

Regarding last night’s meeting at Waterford Regional Hospital, I was addressing another meeting in the county on Thursday evening when I fell ill and was forced to return home. I did send my regrets and apologies via Cllr Sean Reinhardt, who also rang me early this morning and gave me a full briefing on all the information that was raised.

For the record, I had met with several staff members from Waterford Regional Hospital in the past week who had made me aware of all the information to be presented at the meeting last night. Following those meetings, I subsequently arranged speaking time in the Dail for next week to have the issue raised and discussed. A specific concern which I have brought to Dr James Reilly’s attention is that, within the present economic circumstances, other centres will not have the capacity to absorb the needs of the south east population, though the population of 500,000 within reach of the existing regional resources is enough to justify a regional service in virtually every specialty.

Since my election, I have consistently highlighted the shortcomings in the provision of care at Waterford Regional. A large section of the population in the south east already does not have access to appropriate and timely care and it is not just Waterford but the entire south east region that is yet again losing out.

Last night’s meeting was wholly worthwhile in keeping people aware of what is being proposed at Waterford Regional but my absence was regrettably unavoidable. Regardless, I can assure people that I have been actively working on this issue for some time, including highlighting it on every level in the Dail.
However, I must also make the point that I am an Opposition TD.

I am not trying to score political points here and detract from the very serious situation at Waterford Regional. However while I can, consistently do, and will continue to highlight and challenge the decisions made by the Government in relation to Waterford, the people who can actually make a difference regarding these decisions in the Waterford constituency are Paudie Coffey, John Deasy and Ciara Conway.

A couple of weeks ago I contacted all three and asked them to put aside all our political differences and meet to examine the full implications of the merger of Waterford City and County councils and to come up with a cogent strategy to address the countless problems facing Waterford, specifically unemployment and the pending changes at Waterford Regional Hospital. To date, I have only received a reply from Paudie Coffey, which I must add was a very worthwhile and positive response from Deputy Coffey and I am optimistic that at least two of us can work together for the good of Waterford.

The WRH issue is not going to go away and I truly believe the politicians of Waterford, not only the TDs but all our elected representatives, need to work in unison on this.

Needless to say the I'm sick card didn't go down to well when the hospital downgrade was the meeting topic

comeraghs · 02-11-2012 02:14PM

We really do have the four most useless TD's in the country in this county!

Yet we'll probably return the 2 FGers again next time. I really hope not!

Sully · 02-11-2012 02:27PM

comeraghs wrote: »

We really do have the four most useless TD's in the country in this county!

Yet we'll probably return the 2 FGers again next time. I really hope not!

I'm sorry now but that is a stupid comment to make. A number of FG Cllrs are working their backsides off for Waterford. In the Oireachtas we have Paudie Coffey (FG TD) and Maurice Cummins (FG Senator) working tirelessly to fight Waterfords corner. So much so they are all working together to get the TDs, Senators and Cllrs from FG in the South East to get up and fight and ensure our Hospital is not downgraded - not because we want to be selfish but because Waterford Regional is a huge employer for the South East and is a very important hospital for everyone in the region. They have each discussed this with Minister Reilly and continue to lobby, raise the concerns, raise the facts and fight tooth and nail for Waterford. This is what we elected them to do and this is what they are doing. Fact.

Paudie has released a statement confirming he is aware of the problems, outlining his views and confirming he is fighting for Waterford. Apart from asking someone to record every single meeting and release a statement with such, you have absolutely no idea what he or other reps are doing. He could not attend last night due to family circumstances in the North. He did speak on the matter on WLR FM earlier in the day and was first to publicly comment from our TDs (to the best of my knowledge). Its worth noting that John Halligan (Ind TD) has spoken positively off Paudie and stated he responded to his email for them all to work together and he said;

John Halligan (IND) wrote:

Paudie Coffey, which I must add was a very worthwhile and positive response from Deputy Coffey and I am optimistic that at least two of us can work together for the good of Waterford.

John Cummins (FG Cllr) released a statement of sorts last night and confirmed that Maurice Cummins (FG Senator) was fighting and made a number of representations and attended last nights meeting. His statement was then followed by two other TDs for Waterford.

I have no idea where John Deasy (FG) is, or what his viewpoint is. I'm sure if you emailed him, he will tell you as he doesn't have a Facebook page.

Dunmoreroader · 02-11-2012 02:40PM

I dispair; why is this continually happening to Waterford????? IDA doing fcuk all for Waterford for years, city status downgrade, south-east region dissolved, south-east hospitals group under threat, still no University, 20% unemployment, aaagh FCUK!!! I want to kick someone in the Dails.:mad:
Ok, I've calmed down now. No snorting at the back but didn't the previous FF govt. introduce something called The National Spatial Strategy which was supposed to inform all planning decisions on all aspects of infrastructure including education, transport, medical need, retail provision for ever and ever etc. etc. yada yada yada blah blah blah???
This was supposed to reverse the Dublin hegemony on everything(now with Cork & Galway) and eliminate parish pump politics deciding who got what was left when the Jackeens were full. Has anyone heard any govt. minister or spokesman reference the NSS when announcing anything? Remember Gateways and Hubs? What a joke. I could have put this post into anyone of a half a dozen threads on the Waterford Boards as it's the same sh1t just with different headings.
The only memory or relevance the NSS seems to have for this govt. or for national media is the whole Martin Cullen/Monica Leech episode when his dept. hired her to help launch the thing. Jesus I feel so cynical I want to emmigrate.
Who can we vote for to change things? It doesn't matter who we vote for in Waterford unless the rest of the South-East realises having a strong regional Capital with all that (should)comes with it, is in their interests too.
Don't hold your breath.

I'd suggest seceding from the Republic like the Catalans are threatening but we'd be broke in a week.(and de Blues aren't Barca but I'll be shouting for them tonight

)

Deise Tom · 02-11-2012 04:56PM

jad2007 wrote: »

And none of the TD's could make it to the meeting, IMHO this is the biggest issue facing Waterford. All that merger/ city status is just a agenda driven by councillors scared of losing their jobs.

No TD.s made the meeting and less than half our councillors. it just shows the caliber of what is representing us.

This is the biggest kick in the teeth that Waterford TD's have ever given to the people that elected them. Each of them are full of ______ and have shown that they are going to Dublin to get what they can rather than to represent us. I know they will say otherwise but i think it will take some talk from them now to show us otherwise. They have to be removed and as soon as possible. All Four of them. I dont care who replaces them or what party or none party they come from, because the four we have last night showed the people of Waterford city and county what they thought of us and its not good enough. If they had gut and balls, they would not wait for an election. They are back to work on Monday morning is it. Well the first thing they should do is to resign their seat and a by election called ASAP. If they dont resign, I hope the people of Waterford will show them what we think of them at the next election, in the same way as the people of Ireland showed FF and the Greens what they thought of them last February.

Deise Tom · 02-11-2012 05:04PM

Sully wrote: »

One of our TDs, Paudie Coffey, was away on family matters in the North and was unable to attend. Knowing Paudie over the years, it was never like him to dodge a meeting and considering his colleague Maurice Cummins & John Cummins attended, you can be assured that all three Waterford Fine Gael Reps are very much aware of the implications and very much against them and will fight tooth and nail for us as they have been doing to-date.

A wedding according to a statement given to Déise Am this morning. Was the invitation to the wedding accepted before or after he and the rest of the TD's voted to give themselves a mid term break this week. We should have out 4 tds in the dail every day bombarding ministers with questions, fighting hard for us to retain what we have, not galavanting around the country. I know the Dail historically has a lot of teachers filling it, but using the school year as to when they sit and dont sit takes the piss big time.

Deise Tom · 02-11-2012 05:10PM

Baby4 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Everybody has plans and make arrangements to be someplace on certain days, but sometimes things happen and you have to change what you have planned. You have to pick and chose which is more important. I bet if there was an election coming up in the coming weeks Ciara Conway and the rest of the TD's would be at the WIT last night.

By the way, does anybody know how many if any of the City, County and Various Town Councillors were invited to the meeting and how many turned up.

MOC88 · 02-11-2012 07:49PM

Trying not to get caught up in how badly Waterford is being represented but here I am again bothering to log in and post.
Missing a meeting of such a scale is unforgivable as far as I'm concerned - anything being done by any of the tds seem to be the bare minimum that could expected - and a lot worse in some cases.

What I am seeing is no td attended the meeting - they weren't going to organize one either- why would they now I suppose after all the downscaling and ignoring that has being going on of which very little has been done.

We're being told everything is going on behind the scenes - are we too stupid to understand negotiations - do the tds not need to eb able to point to a mandate from their area of strong opposition to any downgrading.

Yes I'm being critical but it is a matter of life and death - hospital and services are that important. I hope that the wedding was great fun, the pre arranged engagement was unavoidable, the sickness that prevented attendance that somehow allowed other meetings?, and God only knows what the other excuse will be-if anything is given.

If these tds are representing the area then how did they not know about this meeting? surely one of their friends/families/supporters/colleagues would have informed them- the "I didn't know about it until the last minute" doesn't hold water. I'm sure they felt guilty for about a minute and then quashed it. I've lost a lot of faith in this group and I'm pretty certain it will never be returned.

This isn't the dail where nobody notices their absence. I understand that people need a life but you really do have to put personal concerns ahead of anything else when something so big comes up.

It is so disappointing to actually have believed in the last election that some of them were honest. I'm not the sharpest knife in the set but this is beyond a joke. There isn't a movement to have Waterford stripped of everything that it has but it definitely an area that no minister worries about cannibalizing everything in the area. As for those in other areas Cork is a lot closer to Waterford than Dublin is to the rest of the region. It is a bit of a joke after all the years spent campaigning for cancer services. I am not in a stage where this affects me greatly but I'm sure it will if I want live here in future. I would love to know if there were any expenses claimed over the week.

MOC88 · 02-11-2012 07:53PM

AdMMM wrote: »

While emails may be a vessel to let off some steam, they won't actually make any difference whatsoever. Waterford has been too quiet for too long. Waterford people have been fed a "behave yourselves and good things will come to those who wait" message over the years but it's about time that Waterford questions whether sitting down quietly is the best approach.

It's always a good gauge plus when they come campaigning you can always throw it in their face - why didn't you respond to such and such. Also handy if they start making statements about supporting this and that. The more information you have about someone the better - you can shut up most supporters of parties fairly quickly so you don't have to listen to the same regurgitated rubbish time and again.

MitchKoobski · 02-11-2012 08:09PM

I'm 90% sure John Deasy is actually an urban legend at this point.

Deise Tom · 02-11-2012 09:23PM

If Ciara, Paudie and the two johns are reading this thread, can you get your ass onto WLR on Monday and tell us without the usual BS that ye spout when on the station tell us exactly why you did not attend last nights meeting. If they are not reading this, they have friends that might be on here and they can get them to go on air and face those that elected you. If you are not prepared to face those that put you in the job that you are presently in, will you please give the chance to someone that is at least willing to give the job their best go, because lets face it, what we have representing us since the last election is nothing but a bloody joke. I think we all saw last night you are only in Dublin to get out of the game what you can for yourself and not for the people of Waterford.

Deise Tom · 02-11-2012 09:24PM

MitchKoobski wrote: »

I'm 90% sure John Deasy is actually an urban legend at this point.

I'm 100% sure that the four of our tds are.

Dan133269 · 02-11-2012 10:26PM

bookworms wrote: »

Emails will get you nowhere..... You will be given a standard response regardless of the complexity of your issue. Or better again an email addressed to a different person, along with the intended reply for you with guess what . . . . . the standard response. Happened to me earlier in the year regarding another health issue. Won't tell you which TD was involved. Just goes to show the attention to detail and concern these "representitives" have for their constituents.

Go on, tell us please. My guess is Ciara Conway?

Baby4 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

What? That doesn't even make sense. She only found out a day beforehand about the meeting in WIT, and she had already agreed to attend a meeting the day after, so that meant she couldn't make it to the WIT meeting?

MOC88 wrote: »

I am not in a stage where this affects me greatly but I'm sure it will if I want live here in future.

I left Waterford to work abroad in 2010 and I will be here for the foreseeable future. At this stage, I'm not even sure if I want to come back to Waterford because of things like this.

It's almost got to the stage where I would honestly condone violence against some of our TDs if they had the gall to show their faces in public. They are elected on a specific promise to implement their policies and represent the people of their constituency. When they don't do this, don't even bother trying and the result of their inaction and apathy is the cutting of vital medical services and the resulting loss of life, then any violence suffered by them would be entirely their own doing.

MOC88 · 02-11-2012 11:05PM

Dan133269 wrote: »

I left Waterford to work abroad in 2010 and I will be here for the foreseeable future. At this stage, I'm not even sure if I want to come back to Waterford because of things like this.

It's almost got to the stage where I would honestly condone violence against some of our TDs if they had the gall to show their faces in public. They are elected on a specific promise to implement their policies and represent the people of their constituency. When they don't do this, don't even bother trying and the result of their inaction and apathy is the cutting of vital medical services and the resulting loss of life, then any violence suffered by them would be entirely their own doing.

Sorry I meant as in I'm young and healthy enough to not fall in to a bracket of likely to have a heart attack of course I might have somethign else though

Nah if they were fired with no pension like nyone else not doing or not capable of doing their job - their main cocnern I think is to get to the gold mine that is getting a td pension. Just like a lot of the wannabe politicians -

Jason Todd · 03-11-2012 10:37PM

There was talk on the comments section of The Journal about a march next week in relation to the Hospital, anyone else heard this?

Trotter · 03-11-2012 10:47PM

Jason Todd wrote: »

There was talk on the comments section of The Journal about a march next week in relation to the Hospital, anyone else heard this?

Here's the facebook page. Its been doing the rounds today.

https://www.facebook.com/events/503665246317907/

Jason Todd · 03-11-2012 10:56PM

Trotter wrote: »

Here's the facebook page. Its been doing the rounds today.

https://www.facebook.com/events/503665246317907/

Thank you sir.

Dunmoreroader · 04-11-2012 03:38PM

I'll be there and will ask everyone I know to attend too.
Couple of points:
1. Would the local sports organisations, scouts etc. postpone anything clashing with the march to allow as many families to attend as possible without upsetting little people?
2. Shouldn't this be an all-Southeast event/campaign rather than just a Waterford City one? Shouldn't people in Kilkenny, Wexford, S. Tipp & Carlow be implored to protest too on the basis that they are also threatened with losing THEIR Acute regional
hospital too?

Daffodil.d · 04-11-2012 04:28PM

Dunmoreroader wrote: »

I'll be there and will ask everyone I know to attend too.
Couple of points:
1. Would the local sports organisations, scouts etc. postpone anything clashing with the march to allow as many families to attend as possible without upsetting little people?
2. Shouldn't this be an all-Southeast event/campaign rather than just a Waterford City one? Shouldn't people in Kilkenny, Wexford, S. Tipp & Carlow be implored to protest too on the basis that they are also threatened with losing THEIR Acute regional
hospital too?

Good point It's important for us to spread this through our own fb pages to people in the surrounding counties highlighting how deeply this will effect them also maybe if someone here is good at writing the points to put it on their boards page if it's not already there. If there were enough people from other counties with something to identify them as where their from for media purposes, it would pack more punch. For example local clubs coming and wearing their colours.

Sully · 04-11-2012 06:34PM

Worth updating this to show that some of our local representatives are working hard for Waterford on this issue. Post up messages from other TDs/Reps that are showing any attempt at working rather than ones just complaining.

From Paudie Coffey (FG TD):

Some v productive and positive progress made in securing regional support from TDs and Cllrs for SE Hospital Configuration this weekend -

From Cllr John Cummins (FG Cllr);

"This morning there was a very productive meeting of Waterford FG councillors & some south KK councillors. A significant briefing document has been compiled on the reconfiguration of hospital services in the SE. Ongoing work with consultants tomorrow & Monday to finalise document & then it will be sent to all FG councillors in the South East prior to a meeting in Kilkenny on Monday 12th involving consultants, royal college of surgeons and all SE FG councillors.

Significant work on a regional position being done at FG councillor level and this is ongoing at Oireachtas level also. I sincerely hope a similar exercise is being done by all other parties and independent groupings to win universal SE support - argument will not be won in Waterford alone, this is a South East issue!

Presentation will also be made at Regional Authority by consultants & RCSI - Director & chairman have ceded to this request. The Authority will also make its position known on this important issue".

Max Powers · 05-11-2012 08:27AM

Sully wrote: »

Worth updating this to show that some of our local representatives are working hard for Waterford on this issue. Post up messages from other TDs/Reps that are showing any attempt at working rather than ones just complaining.

From Paudie Coffey (FG TD):

From Cllr John Cummins (FG Cllr);

Coffey, Deasy and COnways seats were v.rocky before this HSE thing, fair play if he is working hard to make sure it doesnt happen, I hope he succeeeds he is still part of the govt who have systematically raped Waterford and unless something changes, it aint lookin good for our TDs.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/reilly-faces-into-new-storm-over-solo-run-to-downgrade-hospitals-3282216.html

In the indo today, WRH under particular threat, why is that the case, rest of SE not supporting eachother, poor TDs???? It cant be WRH fault as it one of the most efficient hospitals in the country.

Dicky Pride · 05-11-2012 08:34AM

Max Powers wrote: »

Coffey, Deasy and COnways seats were v.rocky before this HSE thing, fair play if he is working hard to make sure it doesnt happen, I hope he succeeeds he is still part of the govt who have systematically raped Waterford and unless something changes, it aint lookin good for our TDs.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/reilly-faces-into-new-storm-over-solo-run-to-downgrade-hospitals-3282216.html

In the indo today, WRH under particular threat, why is that the case, rest of SE not supporting eachother, poor TDs???? It cant be WRH fault as it one of the most efficient hospitals in the country.

How do you know it is? Is there facts and figures to back that up? Just wondering.

O Riain · 05-11-2012 09:15AM

Max Powers wrote: »

Coffey, Deasy and COnways seats were v.rocky before this HSE thing, fair play if he is working hard to make sure it doesnt happen, I hope he succeeeds he is still part of the govt who have systematically raped Waterford and unless something changes, it aint lookin good for our TDs.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/reilly-faces-into-new-storm-over-solo-run-to-downgrade-hospitals-3282216.html

In the indo today, WRH under particular threat, why is that the case, rest of SE not supporting eachother, poor TDs???? It cant be WRH fault as it one of the most efficient hospitals in the country.

Galway hospital not affected no?

Max Powers · 05-11-2012 09:26AM

Dicky Pride wrote: »

How do you know it is? Is there facts and figures to back that up? Just wondering.

First and i think only hospital to get green light in govt inspection on efficiencies etc. Also has some of the lowest per patient treatment costs when comopared with other regional and major hospitals

AdMMM · 05-11-2012 09:44AM

Has anyone considered that this could be a nice kite that's being flown that threatens doomsday for the hospital but then after some "trojan" work by the Government TD's they can come out and say that they have secured the hospitals future?

It's one of the only ways that Government TD's can create victories in constituencies in times of austerity. By threatening cuts that are never going to happen, they can then claim credit for when it's announced that they aren't actually happening.

fuzzy dunlop · 05-11-2012 10:24AM

AdMMM wrote: »

Has anyone considered that this could be a nice kite that's being flown that threatens doomsday for the hospital but then after some "trojan" work by the Government TD's they can come out and say that they have secured the hospitals future?

It's one of the only ways that Government TD's can create victories in constituencies in times of austerity. By threatening cuts that are never going to happen, they can then claim credit for when it's announced that they aren't actually happening.

Good Point.I would not rule it out but the problem is can we take the chance?

Sully · 05-11-2012 11:36AM

Max Powers wrote: »

Coffey, Deasy and COnways seats were v.rocky before this HSE thing, fair play if he is working hard to make sure it doesnt happen, I hope he succeeeds he is still part of the govt who have systematically raped Waterford and unless something changes, it aint lookin good for our TDs.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/reilly-faces-into-new-storm-over-solo-run-to-downgrade-hospitals-3282216.html

In the indo today, WRH under particular threat, why is that the case, rest of SE not supporting eachother, poor TDs???? It cant be WRH fault as it one of the most efficient hospitals in the country.

Don't think they were very rocky tbh. They haven't failed to do anything for Waterford that would put their seats at such a huge risk. There is hardly anybody waiting in the wings and Sinn Fein may be the only people to nick a seat (after frequent 'No Thanks' by the electorate) from Labour id say. Halligan might be rocked by this more than the party TDs IMO.

AdMMM wrote: »

Has anyone considered that this could be a nice kite that's being flown that threatens doomsday for the hospital but then after some "trojan" work by the Government TD's they can come out and say that they have secured the hospitals future?

It's one of the only ways that Government TD's can create victories in constituencies in times of austerity. By threatening cuts that are never going to happen, they can then claim credit for when it's announced that they aren't actually happening.

Don't be daft. This is a huge huge issue for Waterford and playing politics with such an issue could have serious consequences. A report is underway, that is a fact. It was Sinn Fein that got a leak and ran with the story, not any of the government TDs. Considering no TD showed up (for their own reasons) to that meeting in Waterford on the hospital - surely that would be a massive failure on their part to run with the wind and come out on top?

One could argue that the rumour mill re: City Status and the effects of the merger could cause them grief. Then you add this on top. Very risk Adam and it could, if anything, benefit your good friend Halligan.

WRH proposed downgrade - protest on Saturday the 23rd of Feb

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