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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Fianna Fáil senator slates Health Minister over Children's Hospital name
A Fianna Fáil senator has accused Fine Gael Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill of 'wasting public funds' and 'ignoring political consensus' over the naming of the new National Children's Hospital. Mary Fitzpatrick also accused Minister Carroll MacNeill of a 'failure of judgment'. It is one of the first times in this new Government that a politician has publicly condemned one of their coalition colleagues. As reported by the Irish Mirror earlier this week, €4,500 was spent on the decision to name the new National Children's Hospital the 'National Children's Hospital Ireland.' This was one of 17 names suggested for the hospital with 'the support of a specialist branding agency'. Minister Carroll MacNeill stated that the name was chosen because it would be "the simplest thing for a stressed-out parent in difficult circumstances'. She also acknowledged that many had called for the hospital to be called after Dr Kathleen Lynn. However, she said she will engage with the Youth Advisory Committee in the National Children's Hospital Ireland to see if a wing or an auditorium could be named in her honour. Fianna Fáil Senator Mary Fitzpatrick has now slated Minister Carroll MacNeill over the fact that the hospital was not named after Dr Lynn, a medic and 1916 Rising participant. She said: '€4,500 was spent on consultants just to ignore a name the Oireachtas had already backed. That's not just wasteful, it's dismissive. 'Let's be honest, the name we've been given could belong to any hospital in any country. We had a chance to give it real meaning and the Minister passed. 'This wasn't a fringe idea. It had political support from Government and opposition. The Minister didn't just sidestep it, she overruled it. 'We didn't need branding consultants to tell us what the country had already decided. We needed leadership, and we didn't get it. 'This was a real chance to connect a state-of-the-art hospital with a name rooted in public service, care, and courage. 'Instead, the Minister chose something forgettable and spent public money to do it. That's not just a lost opportunity. It's a failure of judgment.' The Government did not oppose a Seanad Motion in May 2023 to name the hospital after Dr Lynn, who co-founded a children's hospital in Dublin in 1919. Saint Ultan's Children's Hospital closed in the 1980s when it merged with the National Children's Hospital on Harcourt Street. This was later relocated to Tallaght. The motion was brought forward by Senator Fitzpatrick and Catherine Ardagh, who is now a TD. Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh then submitted a Bill to the Dáil in April 2025 to name the hospital after Dr Lynn. The Bill was not opposed by the Government but has not progressed through the legislative process. The Irish Mirror contacted a spokesperson for Minister Carroll MacNeill for comment. We have also repeatedly asked the Department of Health for confirmation of all names considered for the National Children's Hospital but have yet to receive a response. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
The Journal
2 days ago
- Health
- The Journal
Long-Covid pay scheme for healthcare workers to be extended to end of the year
THE HEALTH MINISTER has announced that the temporary paid leave scheme for public health workers suffering from long-Covid will be extended until the end of the year. The scheme had been due to end this coming Monday, 30 June. The extension follows a recommendation from the Labour Court in response to a case brought by healthcare unions in a bid to get the government to classify long-Covid as an occupational injury. The Labour Court stated that ' at this point in time, Covid-19 and long-Covid are not considered occupational illnesses or an injury at work in this jurisdiction' and that it is 'not within its gift to determine otherwise'. It did however recommend a final extension of the current scheme to the end of the year, at which point anyone remaining on the scheme should transition to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. Long-Covid scheme The Special Scheme of Paid Leave was introduced in July 2022 for eligible healthcare workers suffering from the effects of long-Covid. Long-Covid is when people who have been infected with Covid-19 continue to display symptoms after the infection is gone. The effects can last months, weeks or longer in some cases. Symptoms vary widely but can include extreme tiredness (fatigue), shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, problems with memory and thinking ('brain fog'), problems sleeping (insomnia) and more. While the paid leave scheme for healthcare workers was originally meant to last for a year, it has been extended a number of times since. The scheme was due to come to an end Monday, 30 June but following a Labour Court recommendation that date has been pushed back to 31 December. Advertisement 'Downright disrespectful' In the Dáil today, Labour's Marie Sherlock asked if Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill would extend the scheme. Sherlock the 'response to date has been downright disrespectful and degrading to those who gave so much and risked so much at a time of such uncertainty and risk'. Carroll MacNeill noted that the scheme had been extended on four occasions and added that it would 'conclude on 30 June'. She said she was 'aware that concerns have been raised by a number of unions about the scheme ending'. The Health Minister said there are 159 healthcare workers currently on the scheme and in receipt of full pay. Carroll MacNeill said the 'full provisions of the public service sick leave scheme will apply for anyone who remains unable to return to work'. Sherlock replied that the 'refusal to extend this scheme or to put in place a long-term framework for those who contracted Covid in the workplace reflects a shocking lack of empathy and respect for those workers'. She added that the scheme had been a 'lifeline' for those in receipt of it. 'The crucial point is that these workers have ultimately been told they are five years on and to get over it, but that is not their lived reality,' said Sherlock. Meanwhile, Sherlock said it was 'shameful unions have had to go to the Labour Court to try to get respect for those workers who contracted this illness in the workplace'. Carroll MacNeill noted that the findings of the Labour Court 'are still awaited and I respect that'. The Labour Court went on to reject a bid to classify long-Covid as an occupational illness but recommended a six-month extension. Carroll MacNeill said she supports this decision and 'will now move to ensure the scheme is extended as per the Labour Court recommendation'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Long Covid scheme extended after court recommendation
The Labour Court has recommended a final extension of the current special scheme for healthcare workers living with long Covid to run up to 31 December 2025, which the Government has now accepted. At that point, anyone remaining on the scheme should transition to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, the court said. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said she fully supports the decision and will now move to ensure the scheme is extended as per the Labour Court recommendation. Earlier in the Dáil, the Minister said the special scheme would finish at the end of June. Minister Carroll MacNeill said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was clear in June 2024 that that was the final extension, with the scheme originally due to end at the end of this month. The Government said 159 Health Service Executive and Section 38 organisation staff are currently on the scheme and in receipt of full pay. The scheme was put in place in 2022. Speaking before the Labour Court made its recommendation, Labour Party spokesperson on health Marie Sherlock said the response from Government so far had been "disrespectful and downright degrading to those who gave so much and risked so much at a time of such uncertainty and risk for this country". Deputy Sherlock said that these patients contracted long Covid in the workplace, and said "the refusal to extend this scheme" had reflected "a shocking lack of empathy and indeed respect for these workers". She said people had described the scheme as "a lifeline". Minister Carroll MacNeill said there was no intention not to be empathetic. Ms Carroll MacNeill said that health workers had gone beyond the call of duty, particularly during the early days of the pandemic, when the protections were not as strong as they came to be and "when the risk was extraordinarily great". She said a temporary scheme was put in place for 12 months in 2022, and believed there were 159 people in receipt of full pay for the past five years, and that this scheme had been updated four times.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Long Covid scheme for healthcare workers to end
A special scheme for healthcare workers living with long Covid will finish at the end of June, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has confirmed. Ms Carroll MacNeill was speaking in response to a question in the Dáil by Labour spokesperson on health Marie Sherlock, who said the response so far had been "disrespectful and downright degrading to those who gave so much and risked so much at a time of such uncertainty and risk for this country". The Minister said there are 159 Health Service Executive and Section 38 organisation staff who are currently on the scheme and in receipt of full pay. She said they will continue to be supported and the full provisions of the public service sick leave scheme will apply for anyone who remains unable to return to work. Ms Carroll MacNeill said that health workers had gone beyond the call of duty, particularly during the early days of the pandemic, when the protections were not as strong as they came to be and "when the risk was extraordinarily great". She said a temporary scheme was put in place for 12 months in 2022, and believed there were 159 people in receipt of full pay for the past five years, and that this scheme had been updated four times. Minister Carroll MacNeill said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was clear in June 2024 that that was the final extension, saying the scheme would end at the end of this month. She said she was aware that the matter was heard at the Labour Court earlier this month, and said she awaited the court's ruling. Deputy Sherlock said that these patients contracted long Covid in the workplace, and said "the refusal to extend this a shocking lack of empathy and indeed respect for these workers". She said people had described the scheme as "a lifeline".
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Patients in 'postcode lottery' for cancer referral
Patients are facing a "postcode lottery" when it comes to urgent referrals for suspected breast cancer, according to Social Democrats spokesperson on Health Padraig Rice. He has raised the matter with the Minister for Health in the Dáil. Deputy Rice said that "only four out of nine hospitals met the target of seeing 95% of urgent referrals within two weeks" as per the HSE target. The Mater hospital was cited as only seeing 29% of patients within the required timeframe. "It shouldn't matter where you live, no person should have to wait more than two weeks, these are urgent referrals, where is the sense of urgency?" he asked. Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the HSE national cancer control programme monitors these clinics, and she said often these clinics operate at full capacity. "Unfortunately, any disruption to services can lead to a backlog which can take time to clear," she said. Minister Carroll MacNeill said where a performance issue arises, the HSE can implement site-specific measures, and conceded that perhaps the HSE needed to implement region specific measures, saying she could discuss that further. Deputy Rice shared the experience of two women from North Dublin, who had to wait far longer than the two weeks recommended for urgent care at the Mater cancer clinic. He said one woman presented with two lumps in her breast last February, but was told by the Mater that the waiting time had risen to three months. "It was May before she received her appointment at the Mater," he said. Deputy Rice spoke of another patient who sought an urgent appointment at the Mater in April, she was seen two months later. During what he described as the "agonizing" wait for an appointment, all the women were told was that the clinic was understaffed and no estimated date could be provided. Minister Carroll MacNeill said "there is no world in which the Mater's figures are remotely acceptable." She said she was deeply disappointed between the content and the tone of correspondence between the Mater and women waiting for urgent appointments. She said she'd spoken to the CEO to express her concern in relation to this, and had spoken to the Regional Executives to come up with a regional solution that meets the needs, saying the situation was "absolutely unacceptable."
