Councillors hit out at Mayo TDs for not attending nursing staff protest
Two Mayo elected representatives - Councillor Michael Kilcoyne and Councillor Blackie Gavin - have stood in support of the nursing staff of Mayo University Hospital during a protest today at the facility over excessive workloads and working conditions
Independent Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, a member of the HSE West Forum, said he disappointed there was not a larger turnout by the public as the emergency department is such an important facility for people.
"I am also disappointed that our TDs did not attend. They should have been here.
"I believe the nurses need to hold these protests on an ongoing basis in order to achieve their objective.
"But they also require greater people and political power to drive their message home to the HSE."
Mayo Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon was in attendance at the event to lend his support to the nurses.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Blackie Gavin said the nursing staff at MUH do a fantastic job and deserve strong support in seeking to improve their working conditions as well as having safety issues urgently addressed.
He said: "We were promised an extension to the emergency department in 2014 and very little has happened since then.
"It is wrong that frontline staff who work so hard are not being treated in a fair manner when it comes to their working environment.
"I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with them all the way."
An INMO representative at the hospital said they were left with no option but to stage a protest to highlight a number of problems.
Ryan O'Sullivan said despite repeated efforts to have the their problems addressed, very little has changed.
Speaking during a protest outside the facility at lunchtime today, Mr. O'Sullivan said: "There has been some engagement by hospital management in respect of safe issues.
"But there has been no response to date from the Saolta Hospital Group.
"In effect we were left with no choice but to protest and we are doing so as a last resort.
"We need the Saolta Hospital Group to engage with us to order to address the problems affecting staff and services.
"Covid has contributed to the problems and can’t afford to have burnout and exhaustion across the workforce as we head into a very dangerous and busy winter.”
See also:
Nurses to stage protest over working conditions at Mayo University Hospital
Mayo hospital issues statement in response to nursing staff protest