[caption id="attachment_71157" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Fr. Robert McCabe with Daniel. "]
MAYO HOSPITAL ISSUES ALERT
Mayo General Hospital was under huge pressure last week as staff experienced increased demand for services from members of the public, the Mayo Advertiser reports.
An alert released on Tuesday last stated: “The Emergency Department at Mayo General Hospital has been extremely busy this week, with a high number of patients requiring admission. It continues to be very busy today and all beds are in use in the hospital at present.
“Due to the extra pressure on the Emergency Department, it has been necessary to accommodate patients in the Medical Assessment Unit, adding extra pressure on that Unit. Every effort is being made to identify beds for those patients who require admission.”
The public are now being advised not to present at Mayo General, the paper reports, unless absolutely necessary as due to continuing pressure on staff and services, delays can now be expected.
“We would encourage the public to visit the Emergency Department only in the case of real emergencies, and would also advise people to contact their GP or GP Out-of-Hours service in the first instance.
“Mayo General Hospital regrets that any patient would have to spend longer in the Emergency Department than they would like.”
Mayo independent Councilor, Michael Kilcoyne has stated that the emergency situation at Mayo General is just one of many crises set to arise in regard to public health services. “The hospital is simply jammed up there at the moment,” he said.
Padraig Heverin, branch organizer for the Siptu union in Mayo Health Services, commented: “Some big guns will open a private service, the problem will be outsourced and the public will be expected to pay for the privilege. Ultimately there won’t be a public health service in this country. Instead Ireland is set to become like America. If you have money, you will be OK, if you don’t, hard luck.”
WESTMEATH PRIEST REPORTS ON VISIT
The Rev. Robert McCabe, chaplain at Gormanston Army Camp, who represented the diocese of Meath on a recent visit to northern Uganda, is encouraging people across the diocese to return their Trócaire boxes to their parishes in the coming days,
On his trip to the focus country for this year's Lenten campaign, the Westmeath Examiner reports, Fr McCabe saw how the money raised in Ireland is helping thousands of communities rebuild after more than two decades of war.
"During my visit to Uganda I met religious leaders, community groups, and many families who have all been affected by the violence and brutal conflict between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony and Ugandan government forces," McCabe said.
"I was privileged to travel to visit vulnerable communities who will benefit from the generosity of parish communities across the diocese of Meath."
"Trócaire's work with religious groups and its close links with the Bishops Conference in Uganda is making a difference in three main areas: helping families to re-establish their homes, schools and livelihoods; assisting farming communities to be self-sufficient; highlighting the dignity of women and eradicating gender-based violence."
Trócaire has supported families with seeds, tools and agriculture training so they can begin to provide for themselves again. People are now growing their own crops efficiently and they can see hope for their children in the future.
The provision of solar lamps to some villages means that families have less risk of fire or fumes in their small thatched homes; children can study safely in the evening and people who are ill can be accompanied safely to a clinic for medical care.
"The highlight of the visit was meeting Daniel, the little boy on the Trócaire box, and his parents, Betty and Joel. They symbolize the hopes of a whole region that is trying to rebuild. Despite everything which has happened the family has managed to stay together and Betty and Joel are providing for the children themselves again," said Fr McCabe.
DUBLIN PIGEON CLUB LET DOWN BY COUNCIL
Ballymun Pigeon Flying Club is being forced to operate from a vandalized and rat-infested flat without running water or electricity after being told it couldn’t move into its new premises, the Northside People reports.
The club, which has more than 60 members was due to be relocated to a unit in Ballymun Shopping Centre last Wednesday but at the last minute was told that the move had to be cancelled.
The blow came the day before the busy racing season got underway for the pigeon fanciers who have spent months and a lot of money preparing their birds to race.
After being told of the news that their new premises wasn’t available, the club had to return to its home in a dilapidated flat on Shangan Road, which they claim poses a major risk to their health and safety.
“The council were due to give us the keys for a unit in the old shopping centre last Wednesday but we were told almost on the day that we weren’t allowed to use the unit because of some planning issues,” said pigeon club secretary Lee Newman.
“I wouldn’t mind but the council had prepared and painted the unit for us and we’d been promised alternative accommodation for over a year now.
“We had no other choice but to go back to the flat on Shangan Road which was flooded and rat-infested at that stage.
“We were due to start racing the next day and we couldn’t afford to miss any races.
“All other flats in the block have long been de-tenanted so people are breaking in and stripping the flats of pipes to sell as scrap steal. As a result the flat is without heating or running water.”
“It’s vital that club members have somewhere to bring their pigeons for pre-race preparations and packing them into sealed crates for competition.”
The Ballymun Pigeon Flying Club has been trying desperately to keep the sport of pigeon racing alive in the area.
The club hopes to encourage a younger generation to get involved in the sport, which once attracted hundreds of enthusiasts in the Ballymun and Finglas area.
“We’re not asking for much,” Newman told the Northside People. “All we want is somewhere safe, dry and with electricity.”
“We have one disabled member and most other members, including myself, bring our kids along to the club, so at any one time there could be people in the clubhouse ranging in age from 70 to two years of age,” he said.
