Family emigrates over ‘lack of facilities’ at CUH

The family of a young boy with cystic fibrosis was so disillusioned with the lack of facilities for their son at Cork University Hospital that they emigrated to New Zealand where they say services are far superior.

Niall Martin, from Ovens, Co Cork, moved lock, stock, and barrel to Auckland with his wife Pauline and 5-year-old son Seán earlier this year, blaming their decision to uproot on “a genuine fear that the facilities, or lack thereof, at CUH would lead to grave difficulties for the health of our son”.

Niall said Seán had daily physiotherapy sessions in a public corridor while an in-patient at CUH.