Connect with us

News

Killarney’s hospital beds could take pressure off UHK

Published

on

S

SIPTU has asked the government to alleviate the overcrowding problem at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee by transferring patients to Killarney. The trade union’s Branch Organiser for Kerry Hospitals, Donie Doody, says there are unused beds in Killarney and these spaces should be utilised to take pressure off of Kerry’s largest hospital.

Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser, Mr Doody said there should be more “coordination” between Kerry’s hospitals.

“At present there are 30 vacant beds in Killarney Community Hospitals. Why are these beds being left vacant when 20 miles away, in University Hospital Kerry, patients are waiting on trolleys for days at a time? It’s a ludicrous situation. Why is it being allowed to happen? Why is there no policy in place to rectify the situation? Why can patients waiting for the fair deal scheme not be transferred to these vacant beds?

“I call on you, Mr Harris, as Minister for Health, to intervene immediately and initiate a policy that would relieve the pressure on beds at UHK and utilise vacant beds available 20 miles away in Killarney.

“The people of Kerry deserve and are entitled to have this situation rectified immediately. The beds are available and urgently need to be utilised.”

The lack of hospital beds in Ireland has been well documented in recent years. 1,600 were lost in the last decade and Ireland’s rate of 2.8 beds per 1,000 people is well below the norm for OECD countries (4.8). On Wednesday, the nationwide figure for people on trolleys waiting for beds was 396, a 23% increase on the same day last year. There are currently 14 people waiting for beds in Tralee.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which collects the figures, says that the problem is caused by a lack of nursing staff and limited bed capacity in hospitals. In University Hospital Limerick, for example, there are over 70 unfilled nursing vacancies.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said: “These are genuinely startling figures to see in summertime. It’s only July, and our hospitals are already way over capacity. Nurses will be looking to winter with a sense of dread. A decade ago we’d call this a national emergency, but it’s the new normal in our broken health service.

“Capacity simply has to increase. The government must make it a priority to fill nursing vacancies urgently. That won’t happen without the pay rise that nurses have earned. I worry that if pay stays low and conditions worsen, more nurses will be forced out of our health services.”

What do you think? Should Killarney’s vacant hospital beds be used to alleviate the problems at University Hospital Kerry? Let us know by emailing newsdesk@killarneyadvertiser.ie.

Advertisement

News

Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

Published

on

By

Passengers using TFI Local Link Kerry services in Killarney and across the county can now pay for their journeys using contactless card payments.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the rollout this week, allowing commuters to simply tap their debit card, credit card, or mobile devices, such as Apple Pay and Google Pa, when boarding.

The move is designed to offer more convenience for those using high-frequency rural and regional routes.

In Killarney, the new payment option will be available on the TFI Anseo town services, which have seen a significant increase in passenger numbers since their introduction.

The contactless system is currently available for single journey fares, while those using daily or weekly passes can continue to use the Leap website or the TFI Leap Top Up App.
Alan O’Connell, General Manager of TFI Local Link Kerry, welcomed the modernisation of the fleet.

“The introduction of contactless payments is another welcome step forward for public transport in Kerry,” he said. “It complements other major projects in the county, including the expansion of TFI Local Link services and the delivery of TFI Anseo in Killarney, which is proving to be another great initiative.”

While the new technology offers a modern alternative, traditional payment methods are not being phased out. Cash payments, TFI Leap cards, and Free Travel Cards all remains fully valid across the network.

Continue Reading

News

How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

Published

on

By

Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport