Flaws at cabinet level highlighted by Mayo hospital report - Aontú

Aontú representative for Mayo, Paul Lawless, has said that it is 'deeply disturbing' that former Minister Dara Calleary had only seen the content of the HSE report on Covid-19 crossover concerns in Mayo University Hospital last week, despite the fact that the government had been furnished with the report two months ago.

Mr. Lawless said: “Mr. Calleary said in a local newspaper interview that he only became aware of the report on the management of Covid-19 in Mayo University Hospital on Friday last.

"This is a deeply disturbing development.

“The report was released to me last week under the Freedom of Information Act.

"I've since expressed my frustration at the fact that the report was not published when it was completed and was left in the Department of Health for weeks without comment or action.

“It now seems that not only were members of the public deprived of this report for two months - but so were the elected representatives who had requested the report.

"The report by the HSE was triggered by written questions to the Department of Health from Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary and Aontú leader Deputy Peadar Tóibín some months ago.

“The government and HSE's handling of the virus in Mayo has been marked by a lack of transparency throughout this pandemic.

"The revelation that this lack of transparency goes all the way to the cabinet table is huge cause for concern.

“Why did the Minister for Health not share the report with Mr. Calleary when his department was furnished with it on June 19?"

Mr. Lawless continued: "The situation in Mayo is a national scandal and has been covered by the national broadcaster, national broadsheet newspapers, and all local outlets in this region.

“It is a pitiful state of affairs that a Mayo cabinet member would not get access to this report from his ministerial colleague and would instead have to wait two months until the document was released to me under a Freedom of Information request.

"Do cabinet ministers not speak to one another?"

"I certainly get the impression that the government and Department of Health did not want the public to see this report.

“Since I received the report I have been speaking to some of the bereaved families who raised concerns about the hospital.

“These families deserve answers and we must prepare for a second wave so we do not see a repeat of what happened in the hospital last April.

“I would strongly call on the government to think of those who have died, to think of the 75% of nurses who were absent due to illness or being close contacts, in the district hospital in Mayo during the pandemic, rather than playing spin, PR and damage control with people's lives.

“If the government were sincere in their 'green jersey', 'team Ireland working together to save lives' narrative they would have released this report months ago so that we can all identify the areas of our health service in Mayo that need urgent improvement,” added Lawless.