Latest HSE scandal is depressing evidence that Government’s “compassion” is an act – Tóibín
“The greatest political achievement of this Government and this Minister for Health is that they have lowered the expectations of the Irish people so much when it comes to the health service that crisis fatigue is setting in.”
The finding by HIQA that a residential care home in Clonmel was in breach of thirteen out of sixteen regulations is “depressing”, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has said, adding that it shows the Government’s “compassion” is an act.
RTE reports that the care home, which was investigated after two incidents of choking went unreported, and which is home to fourteen people, was not only found to be in breach of the regulations, but that management had failed to follow up on the issues raised.
Mr. Tóibín said that the Irish people have “long have reached the end of their patience” with the health minister:
“The true evidence of how compassionate a society is how it treats the weakest and the most vulnerable amongst it. The residents of a care home for adults with intellectual disabilities surely fall into that category. That the state would entrust their care to a facility that not only breached a vast majority of the regulations governing it but failed to follow up on complaints that it had done so, is depressing and upsetting.
The Irish people have long ago have reached the end of their patience with Simon Harris. The Minister for Health likes to describe himself and his brand of politics as compassionate – where is that compassion today, and where are the consequences for those responsible for this failure?
The sad reality is that many will be tempted to shrug this off as just another report, just another incident, just another failure, because we have become so used to them.
The greatest political achievement of this Government and this Minister for Health is that they have lowered the expectations of the Irish people so much when it comes to the health service that crisis fatigue is setting in.
It is not acceptable that people are treated like this. It shames our country and it shames our Government.
Sadly, due the “Confidence and Free Pass Pact” with Fianna Fáil Minister the Minister will simply make a statement to the Dáil about this matter, and then refuse to take political responsibility for it.
