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Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, speaking in the canteen of University Hospital Kerry on Friday afternoon. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
SOME staff at University Hospital Kerry were left without a chance to get their lunch in the canteen today, because Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar’s visit prevented them from entering the facility.
Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Ferris said he was contacted by a number of staff members who were annoyed that they were not able to enter the canteen between 1pm and 2.40pm because the proceedings were still ongoing.
The canteen was the location for a lunch and speeches from the Minister and others, as well as the unveiling of a plaque to mark the new name for the hospital.
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“I have been contacted by a number of staff members from Kerry General Hospital this afternoon who are furious that they were not able to get lunch in their own staff canteen because the Minister for Health had been dining there,” said Deputy Ferris.
“Staff had been informed that the canteen would be closed for a couple of hours but it was it due to reopen at 2pm,” he continued. “At 2.40pm one staff member working a 12 hour shift had yet to get their lunch as the canteen had yet to re-open. A number of staff members had to leave without getting any lunch because they had to return to their shifts,” he said.
TraleeToday.ie’s Gavin O’Connor witnessed the staff members waiting outside the canteen, one of whom expressed his annoyance to him that he was rostered to have his lunch at that time, but couldn’t access the canteen due to the Minister’s visit.
TraleeToday.ie asked the HSE for a comment and they issued the following statement:
“All staff were written to by the hospital manager on Monday 15th February informing them of the Minister’s visit and one member of staff from each department was invited to attend the ceremony with the Minister.
“In the same communication staff were informed that in order to facilitate the Minister’s visit, the staff canteen would be open from 11.30.a.m. to 12.45.p.m. to allow staff take an early lunch and from 2.00.p.m. to 3.00.p.m. to enable the taking of a late lunch. As the ceremony involving the Minister ran over the canteen remained open until 3.30.p.m. to allow all staff the opportunity to get lunch,” concludes the statement.
So this FG Health Minister, just won’t have his lunch with the Staff at a Hospital, where a workforce under huge pressure, with 16 patients on trolleys – just don’t deserve lunch in their own Canteen – as he does ?
Beneath contempt treatment of Staff – Shame on you Minister and your lack of total respect !
It’s ludicrous that this would happen. Look after the staff, they are trying to look after us !
Typical