If the State won’t build a hospice, we should

The theme is familiar regarding the proposed hospice at Magheramore, Co Wicklow. Everybody, from the Columban Sisters to Daniel Day Lewis to civic society groups, have done their bit to get it built. The only party that hasn’t is the public sector-operated HSE.

Why are the other parties even relying on the HSE? People who care about their community should not wait on the say-so of a state-run organisation.

By doing so, they are inviting chaos, frustration and inertia. Just look at the fiasco of the proposed National Children’s Hospital, which, I fear, will never be built as long as the project remains in the hands of the State.

The solution is for citizens to do these things by themselves, for their own communities.

Don’t rely on the State. You’ll be waiting an awfully long time.

John B Reid,

Monkstown,

Co Dublin