Anger as Fine Gael rejects call for special meeting on Mayo hospital crisis
The Fine Gael party group on Mayo County Council has controversially ruled out supporting a plea to hold a special meeting of the authority to discuss the ongoing overcrowding crisis at Mayo University Hospital.
A former elected member of Castlebar Town Council, Harry Barrett, had been contact with the whips of the Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Independent groups about the importance of holding the meeting to further highlight the problem of high numbers of patients being forced to wait on trolleys and chairs for long periods at the Castlebar facility.
When contacted by The Connaught Telegraph, Councillor Barrett confirmed today that Fine Gael has rejected the proposal on the grounds that their members feel that any request for any special meeting should come from a representative group rather than a member of the public.
He also confirmed that the Fianna Fail group had not responded to his correspondence, emailed a week ago, while his appeal has the support of a number of independent councillors as well as Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry Murray, maintaining the prospect of the special meeting still going ahead.
The signatories of five elected members are required for the cathaoirleach, Councillor Seamus Weir, to requisition a special meeting.
Reacting to Fine Gael's reply and the lack of a response from Fianna Fáil, Mr. Barrett said he is very disappointed their members have failed to fully grasp the seriousness of the situation.
He elaborated: "Fine Gael have told me they will not call for a special meeting to discuss the trolley crisis at Mayo University Hospital because I did not go through the proper procedure.
"Frankly, this is a ridiculous response as there is nothing to stop Fine Gael from calling the meeting themselves, if they share the same concern for the plight of those on trolleys.
"It is sad to see Fine Gael hiding behind rules and regulations, playing politics as old people lie on trolleys up in Mayo University Hospital for hours and hours on end.
"I think it is a shocking and cowardly dereliction of duty, a failure to grasp the bigger picture, and a failure to leave the politics to one side for the greater good.
"As I told Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, delays like this are causing early deaths.
"If an elderly person is left on a trolley for more than six to eight hours, one in 82 will not be alive one month later.
"This is solid, published research from the HSE. This is what's at stake here.
"Despite this setback, I am certain that this proposal to call a special meeting will get solid support from other groups.
"I am also hoping that Fianna Fáil will see the light
"I have now contacted the council cathaoirelach, Seamus Weir, to see if we he will propose the meeting."
The two reasons Fine Gael gave for not supporting Mr. Barrett's appeal were as follows:
1) We feel any request for any special meeting should come from a representative group rather than just a member of the public. While we are aware we must represent every member of our county, if we were to have a special meeting every time an individual requested one, we would be having meetings every day of the week.
2) As you have seen from the recent request to have a special meeting to discuss the strategy around the refugee situation in Mayo it was the cathaoirleach who called the meeting and subsequently cancelled it.
With Fianna Fail and Independents (aligned to Fianna Fail) controlling the council we believe any request for a special meeting should go directly to the cathaoirleach and the group members he represents.