Sooner or
later the drive, enthusiasm and determination, initiated maybe by an awkward political
question, will dissipate and in no time at all we will have moved on to another
issue. This is undoubtedly what seems to be happening with our Waterford problems.
We have yet
to secure our place, metaphorically speaking, as the awkward elephant in the
corner of each and every parliamentary meeting room.
Our sheer
revulsion at the shenanigans, currently going on in the Department of Health
and the HSE, around the life and death issues in University Hospital Waterford,
seem to be falling on too many deaf ears.
On this
subject there is absolutely no doubt, that in the halls of power, we have no
voice. The issue of a 90 minute drive to a safe operating table, is clearly
being lost. All subject matters cardiac, for the South East, are seen purely as
Waterford’s problems. There has been no expansion of the issue, to include the wider
region.
I can
guarantee that there have been very few column inches, if any, in the likes of
Tipperary, Wexford, Gorey, Kilkenny... and so on. Dublin know this, from their
TDs on the ground and as they feel no pressure, from their own electorate, they
are doing very little to come up with the right solution. The whole matter
around UHW needs to become THE political hot potato for the South East region.
TDs across Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary etc need to fear for their cosy
political armchairs in Dublin. They need to be aware that the very people who put
them in the Dáil, want cardiac cover that will save their lives, if called
upon.
There will
be many who do not wish to see this issue become politicised. Well it has gone
down that route and now, a truly regional voice needs to sing as one. Each and
every TD across the region needs to act our behalf.
The stark
reality is, that if you suffer a heart attack and have to be transported by an
ambulance to Cork or Dublin, you have a 90 minute window or you die!
Maybe this
is the message we need to get out to the people of Wexford, Tipperary,
Kilkenny...and so on. A few years ago, when there was the very real threat of Rescue
117 being moved from Waterford, people power across the whole South East region
secured the service at Waterford Airport. The message was simple – be rescued
by the 117 crew, out of Waterford airport, or you drown!
People were
galvanised by this messaging. It was stark, brutal, simple and to the point.
Everyone understood what was needed and TDs feared for their seats, if the
service was not secured for the South East region. People power won this
argument as a regional and not a Waterford issue.
Are we
seeing the very same weak messaging, regarding the University status for
WIT/Carlow, the airport runway extension, the money for the SDZ on the north
quay and so on? I would say “YES!” We have not yet stimulated the latent
“People Power,” that argument is clearly simmering away underneath the surface.
How we
unlock this, is the key to the region getting what every other region has,
namely – adequate cardiac cover, a university, real regional investment, IDA
driven FDI (not just visits) and real political influence.
We seem to
be rather diffident when asking for what is ultimately, the same as every other
citizen in Ireland. Do we not all pay the same taxes? Do we not all contribute
equally to our societal environment? Well as far as I am aware we do.
We are very
poor about shouting in a positive manner here in Waterford. We must be prepared
to work as a region to deliver for everyone.
Sometimes
in life, you have to be prepared to shout louder than those around you. To do
this you need to be equipped to stand on the parapet.
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