Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has expressed his concern at the defects in the Ambulance Service in the North-East Region. ‘The Service is far below the HIQA standard for response times due to the inadequate number of vehicles and staff and the lives of our loved ones, neighbours and friends are at risk as a result of this on-going under funding. By comparison with the service in the North of Ireland we have about 1/3 less staff. There is a complete lack of cover for staff who are off sick or on holidays to maintain the very low level that the HSE already provide. This situation must be addressed urgently.’ Referring to the the re-configuration of hospitals in the region some years ago additional ambulance cover was put in place together with a number of Intermediate Care Vehicles (ICVs). The ICVs are only available to transport patients between hospitals and are not emergency response vehicles. It now appears that most of the additional resources provided at that time have not been delivered and the other resources promised at that time have not materialised. Additional ambulance station have not opened, additional staff and vehicles have not been provided. ‘There are a number of emergency responders in cars in the region. There are used to essentially stop the clock when an emergency call is made, they cannot provide the type of care needed by patients that an proper ambulance can provide. There is no point messaging the figures to make things look good when the service is so poor.’ ‘It is important to say that the staff presently working in the Ambulance Service are highly skilled and when they get to the scene of an accident or respond to an emergency call they do great work but there are simply not enough staff, not enough ambulances, not enough money to provide emergency medical treatment in the region and get patients stabilised and into hospital quickly,’ concluded Councillor Feeley.
Category Archives: Press Releases
Ulster Canal needs Government Commitment
*Ulster Canal needs Government Commitment * Following a meeting with Dawn Livingstone, Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland and her senior official, Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley called on the Government to make a clear commitment to the Ulster Canal so that this project can proceed to construction. ‘Waterways Ireland have completed their mandate in respect of the Ulster Canal. Planning Permission has been granted in both jurisdictions. It now requires a commitment by the Government together with the authorities in the North of Ireland to allow construction to get underway. It is time for a clear financial and political commitment from Government.’ The proposal to ultimately link the Shannon Erne Navigation near Belturbet to Clones and on eventually to Newry is a significant cross border project and has been in the making for sometime. At the North/South Ministerial Council meeting on 17 July 2007, it was announced that the governments would work towards the restoration of the stretch of the canal linking the town of Clones, in County Monaghan, to Upper Lough Erne as a first phase. In August 2010, Waterways Ireland published an Ulster Canal Restoration Plan, an Environmental Report and an Appropriate Assessment. They subsequently lodged appropriate applications for planning permission in the relevant counties. ‘It is clear that the this project is of vital importance to the economic future of the communities through which it passes and in particular is essential to the development of tourism in the town of Belturbet. The opening up of the Ulster Canal will transform Belturbet from a terminus to a hub on the navigation and should dramatically increase the numbers passing through the town. It would open up the magnificent Castlesaunderson Centre to cruisers. These are vital to the future.’ The meeting, arranged on foot of a motion raised at Cavan County Council by Cllr. Feeley was also attended by Ger Finn, Deputy County Manager. Amongst those in attendance on behalf of Waterways Ireland were Nigel Russell, Director of Technical Services, Dr. Paula Treacy, Senior Environmental Officer. The Northern Regional Manager and the Director of Civil Engineering was also present. 25th March 2014
High quality broadband for all parts of rural Ireland a right
Fianna Fáil’s Councillor, John Paul Feeley has called for urgent action on the role-out of high quality broadband in all parts of the country.
“The Government’s ultimate aim should be to get fibre optic cables into every home in towns, cities and villages. If every house can have electricity, why can’t they be served by a high speed broadband service?
“People in rural Ireland are being treated as second class citizens. I want the Communications Minister to intervene and cut through European bureaucracy to ensure that people the length and breadth of Ireland get the services they deserve. Funding can be allocated to upgrade of the network through the Rural Development Programme
“It’s vitally important that people living in isolated areas have proper access to high speed broadband so that they can keep in touch with family and friends in an ever increasing technology based. Across the region people trying to do the basic interaction with Government Departments, banks and other agencies as well as staying in touch with friends and family around the world depends on high quality broadband. We presently have a hotch-potch service that in many parts is unreliable. Urgent action is needed so that people are not left behind.’
No immediate progress on Shannon Navigation at Dowra
Following a meeting with Dawn Livingstone Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland and her senior official , Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has expressed his disappointment that the proposal to extend the Shannon Navigation north of Lough Allen towards Dowra will not progress until there is further funding provided by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr. Leo Vardkar TD.
The meeting, arranged on foot of a motion raised at Cavan County Council by Cllr. Feeley was also attended by Ger Finn, Deputy County Manager.
Amongst those in attendance on behalf of Waterways Ireland were Nigel Russell, Director of Technical Services, Dr. Paula Treacy, Senior Environmental Officer. The Northern Regional Manager and the Director of Civil Engineering was also present.
Setting out the history of the project which was initially submitted to Leitrim County Council for planning n 2007 which was subsequently granted but overturned on appeal to An Bord Pleanala. Waterways Ireland confirmed that the work done by Leitrim County Council to improve road access to the site and amendment of the Leitrim County Development Plan had addressed some of the grounds for refusal. They further confirmed that they had commissioned a range of studies into the ecology, biology, archaeology and geology of the site which would address the remaining concerns and provide the basis for a further application for planning if funding were to become available.
‘Firstly, the blocking of the initial application by a small number of objectors prevented a project proceeding that would have made a significant overall contribution to the Lough Allen catchment and to the village of Dowra. However we have to now move on. We had a productive and frank meeting wherein I set out the reasons why I and the local community believe this is a vital project for the future of the area and can be a spur to tourism and economic development and link the Shannon Navigation to the first village on the River and to the hugely significant Cavan Burren and the UNESCO Geopark.
Councillor Feeley noted that the initial justification for the proposal remained in that Lough Allen lacked a destination to entice boats from Acres Lake to make the journey through the three locks to Lough Allen and the safety issues also remained.
‘Officials from Waterways Ireland accept that the justification for the extension remains. They set out that the project would also cost in the region of € 1.5 to € 1.8 million with a significant cost in terms of bringing the proposal back to planning. In addition they outlined significant ongoing maintenance costs. The CEO noted that she had little or no capital funding available to her and that her operational budget had been cut by about 30% in recent years. I accept the realities in which we all operate but emphasised that this was a project that must be kept on the Agenda. It remains on the Waterways Ireland Capital Plan but now requires Ministerial Directive and I call on Minister Vardkar to act.’
Waterways Ireland confirmed that they are anxious to increase numbers on Lough Allen and are hoping to develop canoe routes around the lake and also are seeking options to develop a slipway on the northern part of the lake.
‘The constructive proposal from Waterways Ireland will entice more users on to the lake which will, in turn improve the business case for the extension of the Navigation to Dowra. It will also assist local canoe hire businesses. I have already spoken to Cllr. Mary Bohan in terms of seeking Leitrim County Council assistance in the development of a slipway on the northern part of the lake to boost casual use of Lough Allen by boat-users, something that Waterways Ireland see as also improving the business case for my proposal.’
Concluding, Councillor Feeley emphasised that he would keep the issue very much on the agenda into the future.
He also took the opportunity, together with the Deputy County Manager to raise the proposals to re-open the Ulster Canal and extend the Erne Navigation into Lough Oughter.