Other News In Brief

SF Slam Govt Health Policies As 631 Patients Wait In Trolleys

Sinn Fein's Health Spokesperson Louise O'Reilly TD has said reports that 631 people are waiting on hospital trolleys today, Tuesday 09 April, is evidence of eight years of Fine Gael failure.

Speaking this morning as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) released the figures, Deputy O'Reilly said: "The number of patients on trolleys has been steadily increasing week on week and today's figure is where this crisis was predictably heading.

"This Minister for Health and the government will tell us that this problem cannot be fixed overnight – but they have had eight years to address this situation and they have failed miserably. In the last decade, there has been a decrease of over 1,100 beds in our hospitals, mainly due to a lack of nurses and doctors to staff them. 

"These beds need to be identified and additional staff need to be recruited in order for the beds to be re-opened. Unless this government addresses the recruitment and retention crisis affecting our nurses and doctors, these beds won't be opened; and yet only this week we had the Minister for Health threatening to suspend recruitment of staff and to ban overtime."

New €50k Scholarship For DEIS Pupils To Attend Irish Language Summer Schools

A new fund worth €50,000 has been launched by the Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Seán Kyne to enable 50 students, who attend DEIS secondary schools, to attend Irish colleges during the summer.

This opportunity is the first of its kind for DEIS pupils. Minister Kyne launched the Fund at Pobalscoil Móinín na gCiseach, in Galway city.

The scholarship fund will be administered nationally by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) in conjunction with the Department.

The Minister of State said: "As a result of this measure, 50 students, who may not have had this opportunity in the conventional way, will have an opportunity to go to the Gaeltacht and attend an Irish college for three weeks. I am delighted that I was able to establish this Scholarship Fund.  There certainly are requirements with this fund to afford students attending DEIS secondary schools the opportunity to attend a course in the Gaeltacht during the summer. This practical measure is not only of benefit to the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht regions but it will be of benefit to society as a whole in terms of social inclusion."

Welcoming the new Fund, Chief Executive of the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, David Leahy, said: "The GRETB recognises the opportunity this fund, aimed at DEIS secondary schools across Ireland, grants, to give students an insight into life in the Gaeltacht in an enjoyable environment. The Scheme will support secondary students to enrich their Irish, as well as gaining an understanding of the context and richness of the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht. The GRETB is delighted to take the administration of this fund on board in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht."

Fr Fintan Gavin Appointed Bishop Of Cork & Ross

The Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Dublin Fr Fintan Gavin has been appointed the new Bishop of Cork & Ross.

The announcement was made at the North Cathedral in Cork by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo.

The Dublin-born man will replace Bishop John Buckley, 79, four years after he confirmed his intention to resign.

Under Canon Law, all Roman Catholic bishops are obliged to submit a letter of resignation when they turn 75.

Bishop Gavin will oversee 68 parishes and around 220,000 Catholics.



(JG/CM)