Mayo councillor calls for clarity on children’s hospital delays
Aontú Councillor Paul Lawless has called on Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Damien Burke, to clarify whether former Minister for Health, Simon Harris, signed off on the controversial Children’s Hospital project.
Cllr Lawless raised the issue during his appearance on RTE's The Late Debate, where he questioned Minister Burke about Harris's involvement in approving the project.
Lawless stated that Harris, as Minister for Health at the time, would have been responsible for giving the go-ahead for the hospital's construction.
The Children's Hospital has faced multiple delays and is now projected to cost over €2.5 billion, making it the most expensive children's hospital in the world.
The ongoing issues surrounding the hospital were a key part of the discussion, with Cllr Lawless highlighting the lack of accountability within the government, particularly in relation to the escalating costs and delays.
Speaking on national airwaves, Lawless stated that the failure to address accountability was a central issue behind many of Ireland’s current crises, including the ongoing healthcare debacle. He pointed to the €2.5 billion spent on compensation payouts for adverse incidents in healthcare over the past three years, as well as the 3,000 patients who have died in the last five years due to accidents in their care.
"The HSE is mired in layers of middle management, while the hardworking medical staff are overstretched and under-resourced," Lawless said.
"There's an over-reliance on agency staff, and the Health Service is in serious trouble. The IMO has stated that the crisis is escalating, yet the government has failed to address it."
Lawless also noted the aging population, which is expected to surpass 1 million people over the age of 65 by 2030, further increasing demand on health services.
He criticised the government's lack of action on children's healthcare, citing the long wait times for scoliosis treatments promised by Children’s Health Ireland, and the failure to produce figures on these waiting times.
The Aontú candidate expressed concern over the large number of healthcare professionals emigrating, with 400 out of 700 doctors who graduated last year leaving the country. Additionally, many nurses are choosing to emigrate, contributing to the growing staff shortages.
To address these issues, Cllr Lawless outlined Aontú’s plans to launch Operation Shamrock, an initiative designed to encourage Irish workers who have emigrated, particularly doctors, nurses, and construction workers, to return home.
He stressed the importance of improving wages, working conditions, and incentives for healthcare professionals in order to reverse the brain drain and rebuild Ireland's healthcare system.
“Operation Shamrock will be crucial in attracting key Irish workers back from abroad, and it will be focused on bringing home doctors, nurses, and construction workers—professions desperately needed here in Ireland," Lawless said.