Council to ask for recruitment flexibility at Loughloe House

Athlone Town Council is to write to the Minister for Finance to request flexibility on the recruitment embargo so that Loughloe House can stay open as a public nursing home. Cllr Paul Hogan (SF) called on the council to write to Minister Brian Lenihan, as the only requirement that remains to be filled following the HIQA report is to appoint a Director of Nursing. Some 11 residents remain in Loughloe and are refusing to move out. "We know HIQA didn't recommend the closure of Loughloe," he said on Monday. "Out of the 37 recommendations made in the report, 36 have been done." Cllr Hogan added that he wasn't sure if Cllr Aengus O'Rourke (FF) had raised the issue of Loughloe House with his cousin (Brian Lenihan). Mayor Sheila Buckley Byrne added her support to Cllr Hogan's motion. "I know Cllr O'Rourke raised the issue with Mary Harney to ask if she would consider lifting the moratorium on care for the elderly," she said. "But we were left with no definitive response. It would be helpful to get clarity." Cllr Buckley Byrne also praised Cllr Hogan for his work on the Keep Loughloe House open campaign. "You have conducted a very public campaign," she said. "I have visited the residents and I am very mindful of the people still there and the stress that continues for them." Expressing his support for Loughloe to remain open, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke said he was unsure about the purpose of the letter as Health Minister Mary Harney would make the final decision. "Her decision is based on HIQA, not a lack of resources," he added. "I don't think Mary Harney has a willingness to be flexible. I'd be better off if Miss Harney was my cousin, not Brian Lenihan." Cllr Jim Henson (Lab) insisted that the letter should be sent to Fianna Fáil. "Mary Harney is just one person, she's not even in a party any more. We should write to the party in power and who are in control of the purse strings," he said. Cllr Mark Cooney pointed that Minister Harney had made a very clear commitment to the council at a previous meeting that she would introduce respite care to the town, but it has not yet happened. "I don't believe we will get a positive response and nothing is going to change the HSE stance. We will continue the fight," he said. "If the Minister is willing to be flexible in the recruitment moratorium, then we go to Mary Harney," added Cllr Hogan. The PRO of the Loughloe Families group, Kay Munnelly attended the council meeting in support of Cllr Hogan's motion. "We have known from early on that this legislation for flexibility exists, and we were disappointed that it hasn't been enacted up to now," said Ms Munnelly. "I would ask Minister Lenihan to please enact the legislation to help keep this important health resource open in Athlone town," said Kay. "The Minister is an Athlone man himself, so he would know the importance of Loughloe House to the people of Athlone present and future, and I would hope that he would see his way to giving this matter, his urgent attention."