State has to ensure tragic death won’t be repeated, says Harney

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney yesterday warned that the State had to ensure there was no repeat of the tragic death of a woman days after being found in a severely malnourished state in her daughter’s home.

Evelyn Joel, 58, who had multiple sclerosis, died at Wexford General Hospital on January 7, a week after emergency services removed her from her daughter’s home at 37, Cluain Dara Estate, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. She weighed just four-and-a-half stone.

Yesterday, Ms Harney said there had been huge failings leading to the woman’s death.

“It is absolutely tragic to read the reports of Evelyn Joel’s death. Words cannot describe how one would feel in relation to the matter and I think we obviously have to be sympathetic in relation to everyone’s concerns here,” she said.

“But above all else the State has to ensure that where possible we have vigorous processes in place to make sure that something like this could not happen again.”

Ms Harney said no blame should be apportioned until an inquiry had examined all the facts.

“I think we have to respect the fact that this is not a matter for political dispute. I don’t think that has anything to do with this situation,” the Health Minister said.

“I think we need to await the outcome of an inquiry before we make a decision as to what went wrong and who is to blame, and clearly there are huge failings.”

Ms Harney said she didn’t want to prejudice the outcome of the different inquiries. However, she added: “But it is tragic to think that in 2006 somebody could die in these circumstances. It is obviously appalling neglect.”

Seán Ryan, Labour spokesman for the elderly, said his overriding concern was that “in this day and age someone could reach such a state of illness without attracting the attention of the appropriate agencies”.

He said he would be asking Ms Harney to make the facts of the case public. “If there are any deficiencies in the system, they should be highlighted to make sure we learn from them.”

The HSE has set up a three-member inquiry team of health professionals to carry out a review of the services, if any, provided to Ms Joel, who had been ill for some time. Gardaí are carrying out a criminal investigation into her death focusing on whether Ms Joel was a victim of willful neglect.

Ms Joel, née Connolly, had moved in with her daughter Eleanor Connolly, 31, and her partner, John Costan, and their two young children shortly after Eleanor was allocated a council house in November 2004 in the Cluain Dara estate.

Ms Joel was found in appalling conditions in a bedroom at her daughter’s home in Enniscorthy after an ambulance was called by a concerned third party on New Year’s Eve. She was in a seriously malnourished and dehydrated state when she was admitted to hospital.

The HSE will look into the services available to the woman and whether she was being given the care she needed.