FG: Bed closures ‘a disgrace’

FINE GAEL has described as a disgrace the impending closure of 21 beds and the suspension of respite care at Leopardstown Park Hospital, in south Dublin.

The party’s Dublin South TD, Olivia Mitchell, said she had raised the issue in the Dáil but complained it was “lost in the flood of complaints about the health service”.

Her party colleague Alan Shatter TD expressed his shock at the announcement that the hospital has this week cancelled all respite care bookings from the beginning of May onwards and has stated that its respite care service is suspended indefinitely.

“Letters have been received by carers who have already booked a week’s vacation and whose lives are dominated for the remaining 51 weeks of the year by their caring obligations,” he said.

The hospital says the cuts are necessary because of a shortfall this year of around €1.5m in Health Service Executive funding.

The hospital has written to the families affected and is due to meet with them to discuss the problems.

Leopardstown is a voluntary hospital that caters mainly for older, long-stay patients.

It receives over €13m a year in funding from the HSE.

In a statement, the HSE said it was still in discussion with the hospital on a plan and no reduction in services had been agreed.