Hospice members ‘cannot comprehend long delays’
Delegates from North Westmeath Hospice met Tánaiste Micheál Martin recently to discuss the delay in selecting a site for a proposed midlands hospice. Veronica Larkin and Teresa Collentine from Mullingar, along with Mary Delaney of Laois Hospice, met Mr Martin at the All Ireland Conference of Compassionate and Palliative Care.
“He was under the impression that the matter had been fully dealt with, but that is not the case,” Ms Larkin said after the meeting. “The North Westmeath Hospice and all of the other voluntary groups are, at this stage, finding the challenge of the delay difficult to understand as the government committed €20 million to the project last year.”
Mr Martin opened the conference, and, in order to further drive the case for a level 3 hospice in this area, the three delegates emphasised to him the importance of a decision being made on a site for the hospice. The sites to be considered are at Arden Lane and The Wellwood site, both in Tullamore. Those advocating for the new hospice have been waiting since early in the year for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly to make a decision.
In response to a question tabled by independent TD, Carol Nolan, in the Dáil recently, Minister Donnelly said a decision on the chosen site for the new midlands hospice will be announced “shortly”.
Deputy Nolan described that response as “just not acceptable” and said it was same reply as that of a few months ago. “It is the kind of copy and paste response that so many public representatives receive on critical matters. We need absolute clarity on this issue, not stock responses that advance us no further,” she stated.
Minister Donnelly said he was fully committed to building a new midlands hospice. “In September 2022, the government announced €20 million in capital funding for the development of a 20-bed specialist palliative care inpatient unit in the midlands.
“The development will provide a hub for the provision of specialist palliative care services across the midlands, including day care, outpatient, inpatient and community services. In 2024, the palliative care budget increased to a total allocation of €155.5m,” he stated.
Mr Donnelly said the selected site for the hospice will provide the best palliative care to the people of the midlands.
“The Department of Health will continue to progress developments for palliative care services in Ireland, working towards the highest possible quality of end-of-life care and support for people with life limiting illnesses across the country,” the minister added.