From this week’s Galway City Tribune – The Health Minister paid an unannounced visit to the Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway – amid claims that patients had to lie on the ground with blankets thrown over them.
The chaos at Galway’s public hospital was raised yet again in the Dáil this week.
A patient wrote to Galway West TD Catherine Connolly after the Saolta Hospital Group insisted that the closure of St Monica’s Ward – the main gynaecological ward at UHG, serving one million people from Donegal to Galway – was having no consequences.
Deputy Connolly raised the closure of St Monica’s in the Dáil after the Galway City Tribune revealed that the ward could not operate because of a lack of staff cover.
This week she raised the issue again, after being informed that the ward had in fact been closed since March 23 – three months ago, rather than the three weeks as she had previously been informed by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
This patient stated that she was admitted after taking ill following surgery elsewhere on a Tuesday at 1.30am and did not get a bed in St Angela’s – one of the two wards identified for use while St Monica’s ward is closed – until the Friday evening at 6.30pm.
“The harrowing scenes we then witnessed in the emergency surgical unit were beyond distressing,” the woman wrote.
“I waited three nights on a trolley after major surgery before I could be given a bed in St Angela’s. Every day I heard ‘oh we’ll have a bed today for you’.”
Deputy Connolly told the Dáil: “It is unacceptable that this is the reality. I spoke to that person and she said she witnessed patients on the ground with blankets over them.”
Minister of State at the Department of Health Anne Rabbitte said the Health Minister visited the Emergency Department last week for an unannounced walkthrough.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see the June 17 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
District chairman planning Dáil picket for more money
Council avoids ‘head-on’ collision over cycle enhancement plan for Renmore
A head-on collision between local councillors and the executive of Galway City Council over a cycle enhancement project for the Renmore area was averted at the last minute this week.
Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath asked at the end of a heated two-hour plus debate on the Ballyloughane Road cycle proposals, for city councillors not to reject the scheme out of hand, but instead to give time for further consultations with all interested parties.
“I will not ride roughshod over the councillors on this issue, but I feel strongly that going back to ‘square one’ is not the best option. I am willing to work with councillors to tweak parts of the scheme,” Mr McGrath told councillors.
Councillors gave the go-ahead for an Active Travel Cycle Plan for the Doughiska Road South on the basis that there was ample room (width) along this route to provide segregated cycle lanes on either side of the road.
Over the course of the lengthy debate, local councillors had outlined a series of problems they had with the scheme mainly relating to parking issues along the 650-metre stretch of roadway – for local people, churchgoers at funerals, and those attending matches at local sports facilities.
Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) had a listed Notice of Motion at Monday’s meeting in the Galmont Hotel proposing the ‘rejection’ of the scheme in its current format in relation to the Ballyloughane Active Travel proposal put before the Council.
Her motion also called upon the City Council Executive to have further discussions with the two local national schools – Gaelscoil Dara and Scoil Chaitríona – as well as local residents’ representatives, sporting organisations and other stakeholders to ensure ‘agreement’ on the Active Travel Scheme.
Cllr Flaherty also criticised the Council for the consultation process they had with local residents, most of whom, she said, knew nothing about the Active Travel Scheme proposals and the implications that this would have for them.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read extensive coverage of the debate from the City Council meeting, see the June 17 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
From this week’s Galway City Tribune – The long-running fiasco that was Merlin Park Hospital’s leaky operating theatres drew to a close this week as replacement facilities came into operation.
However, the wait will go on for many patients requiring orthopaedic surgery as staff shortages will prevent the new theatres from being operated to full capacity.
The Saolta University Healthcare Group has confirmed that the two new replacement orthopaedic operating theatres – which cost €10.5 million to construct – were up and running as of this week.
The hospital was plunged into crisis in 2017 when a leaking roof was discovered, forcing a theatre shut-down and piling pressure on already bulging waiting lists for hip and knee replacements in addition to spinal, ankle and shoulder surgeries.
Almost five years later, the doors have reopened on a new build which consists of two operating theatres, two anaesthesia rooms, a recovery area and other ancillary accommodation to support the theatre suites.
TD for Galway West, Deputy Catherine Connolly (Ind) said while the new facility’s completion was welcome, the announcement must be put in perspective – many of those awaiting surgery had been languishing on waiting lists for far too long, even without the closure of the old theatres.
“The closure of the theatres clearly compounded that very long list and patient suffering. Inexplicably, it has taken almost five years to replace those two operating theatres and yet, with the final confirmation that they are now open, we are informed that they will not operate at capacity due to lack of staff.
“Saolta has provided no information, however, in relation to the composition of the staff required, why this was not planned for during the five years that these two operating theatres have been closed and, most importantly, when the staff will be in place,” said Deputy Connolly
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see the June 17 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
Toyota, Ireland’s best-selling car brand in 2021 and 2022, is urging customers to act fast, with demand high for summer months, after it announced its 222 offers for new car sales registered from now to July 31 inclusive.
The latest 2022 offers include Toyota Easy PCP from 3.9% APR on models such as the new Aygo X and the award-winning Toyota Yaris in both hybrid and petrol powertrains. Firm favourites such as the Toyota Corolla and Toyota C-HR are also available for just 4.9% APR, along with other leading models at 5.5% APR respectively. Toyota customers who avail of these offers in the early summer months will also benefit from three years servicing as standard.
Due to the global rise in fuel prices that are currently affecting the motoring industry, and Ireland’s continued migration to more sustainable, lower CO2 emitting vehicles, Toyota is encouraging its customers to consider a hybrid electric powertrain this season.
Having predicted the demise of diesel many years ago, Toyota believes that its hybrids play an integral role in helping customers transition from higher-polluting diesel vehicles into more environmentally conscious hybrids that don’t require plugging in.
As the leading brand for reputation in Ireland RepTrak 2022, Toyota offers the largest range of self-charging hybrid electrics and provides customers with the widest choice of affordable, electrified options.
With leading vehicles such as the Toyota C-HR and Toyota RAV 4 PHEV now available for immediate summer delivery, Toyota is urging customers to contact their local Toyota dealer, Tony Burke Motors in Ballybrit, to avoid disappointment. Customers can also avail of the latest online tools to explore the breadth of vehicle options on offer.
Demand is high and supply is limited, so customers are urged to contact Tony Burke Motors on 091 480123 or email: sales@tonyburkemotors.ie as soon as possible.
“We believe that there has never been a better time for Irish motorists to make the switch to hybrid electric vehicles,” said Zoe Bradley, Head of Marketing Communications in Toyota Ireland.
“With fuel prices at a market high, we want to incentivise drivers with a host of great finance offers for 222. Not only benefitting from lower running costs and strong used car resale values, but self-charging hybrids electrics also have many environmental benefits compared to diesel, such as 90% less NOx emissions.
“While demand remains high for our hybrid models, we are offering immediate delivery on popular models such as the Toyota C-HR, Toyota Corolla and the RAV4 Plug-in hybrid, so that our customers will get to avail of these great offers and enjoy their new car during the summer months.
“We have something to offer all customers and we recommend that interested customers get in touch with their local Toyota dealer as early as possible or find out more information on the models via Toyota.ie,” she said.
Toyota’s 222 passenger car offers include:
Aygo X – Toyota Easy PCP with 3.9% APR;
Yaris Hybrid – Toyota Easy PCP with 3.9% APR;
• Yaris Petrol – Toyota Easy PCP with 3.9% APR
• Corolla (all variants) – Toyota Easy PCP with 4.9% APR
• C-HR – Toyota Easy PCP with 4.9% APR
• RAV4 Hybrid – Toyota Easy PCP with 5.5% APR
• RAV4 PHEV – Toyota Easy PCP with 5.5% APR
• Camry – Toyota Easy PCP with 5.5% APR
• Prius – Toyota Easy PCP with 5.5% APR
• Highlander – Toyota Easy PCP with 5.5% APR
For terms and conditions see Toyota.ie.
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