More health cuts - Ahern praised as beds close

JUST as his fellow politicians eulogised Mr Ahern yesterday afternoon, in what was his last day in the Dáil as taoiseach the general secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, Des Kavanagh claimed that the psychiatric sector “faces cutbacks unimagined since the 1980s” and that “people are dying because of... low investment in mental healthcare”.

That statement came on the day of the announcement the “suspension” of respite care at Leopardstown Park hospital. That service was “suspended” at Cherry Orchard Hospital last week and there are fears that a decision has been taken to cut services across the country. And still the speeches of praise and glory were made in Leinster House.

Do these people live in a parallel universe?