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Town facility scores top marks in inspection report

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COMPLIANT: Staff at Deer Lodge on St Margaret’s Road were very happy this week to learn that their facility was one hundred percent compliant in a recent inspection report. Pictured were: Louise Fitzgerald, Noreen Fealy, Elizabeth Cronin, Kathleen Ryan, Thomas O'Riordan, Mike O'Leary, Declan Cronin. Chloe O'Shea, Johnny Fisher and Bríd Mulrennan. Photo: Michelle Crean 

By Michelle Crean

A state-of-the-art €13m mental health facility located in Killarney town was this week named in top position with a Waterford centre scoring one hundred percent compliance in a Mental Health Commission report. Published this week, the inspection report said the Deer Lodge Centre on St Margaret’s Road, a purpose-built, residential mental health recovery unit which was officially opened in 2017, increased by 18% over its 2019 inspection, with no non-compliances recorded.

The centre provides mental health care, psychiatry of later life, and mental health rehabilitation, and consists of four households - Mountain View, River View, Wood View and Lake View, which are connected by a central thoroughfare.

There was one condition attached to the registration of the centre at the time of inspection relating to staffing, but the centre was not in breach of the condition and was compliant with the associated regulation.

The report noted that within each of the four households, each resident had their own en suite bedroom with access to a sitting room, dining room, quiet room, kitchenette, and an internal landscaped garden area. The centre was kept in a good state of repair externally and internally and was clean, hygienic, and free from offensive odours.
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Recreational activities included arts and crafts, gardening, newspaper groups and music sessions; community outings in the centre’s own bus; use of an electronic tablet; and cinema, using a projector. Recreational activities were provided on weekdays and weekends.

“The staff at Deerlodge are delighted with the ongoing improvement in compliance with regulations as identified by the mental health commission," Dr Maura Young, Executive Clinical Director, Kerry Mental Health Services, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, told the Killarney Advertiser.

"This reflects the hard work of staff in ensuring that Deer Lodge delivers the best possible care for residents.
Staff particularly welcome the fact that questionnaires filled out by residents were overwhelmingly positive about their care and treatment, with residents stating that they felt safe and that their privacy was respected.
The care and well-being of our residents is always our priority, and we are glad that residents feel safe and happy in their home.”

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Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

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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.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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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.

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