HSE INVITE REPEATED

HSE INVITE REPEATED

 

The HSE have been invited to come before Westport Town Council and discuss the current and future provision of health services within the town, including the future development of the MacBride nursing home according to Cllr Keith Martin.

"In September of 2011 I proposed a motion that representatives of the HSE come before Westport Town Council and update us as to the recruitment of a new Director of Nursing for the MacBride Home and on developments such as the transfer of Westport's two Community Welfare Officers to the Department of Social Protection, the retirement of so many community and psychiatric nurses and how these events will impact on health services in Westport. 

"While we have received written updates in relation to the recruitment of the new Director of Nursing the HSE have not yet accepted our invitation.

"At the January meeting of Westport Town Council I repeated the motion, which was supported unanimously, and the Town Clerk has written to the HSE again asking them to appear before us and update us on the HSE's plans for Westport.

"I expect that such a discussion will take place in March or April and that it will be an informative meeting, which will go a long way to reassuring the people of Westport in relation to the security of their local health services.

Post Office payments

Dear Minister Hogan,

I am writing to you to request that you put in place a system which would allow the public, particularly senior citizens, to pay their household charge in the Post Office.

Numerous constituents who want to pay the charge have been in contact with me due to their frustration with the options currently available for paying the €100 charge. They know the charge is required to fund local services, and they want to be able to pay it in their local post office where many access other public services.

Sincerely

Keith Martin

Councillor

Westport Town Council

Call for Post office payments for new charge

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin says the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan should take action to make the payment of the household charge less hassle and more convenient, particularly for older people.

"The public need to be provided with a more accessible method of paying the household charge and the local post office is the ideal venue. Numerous constituents who want to pay the charge have been in contact with me due to their frustration with the options currently available for paying the €100 charge. They know the charge is required to fund local services, and they want to be able to pay it in their local post office where many access other public services.

"There are too many people who are seeking to pay the Household Charge before the deadline, but who are unable to pay online or do not have the ability to get to their council offices. I have written to Minister Hogan asking him to consider giving people more options for how they can pay their household charge before the deadline is up.

"I can see no reason why the country's network of Post Offices cannot be used to give people more opportunities to pay the household charge. I hope the Minister can move swiftly to give people more opportunities to pay the Household Charge.

"It is one of the basics of all public charges that the State should make it as easy as possible for the citizen to pay the charge. I would hope that Minister Hogan would bear this in mind and allow people to pay the charge through their local Post Office."