Madam, – I am one of the grateful receivers of home help from the HSE. I suffer from motor neuron disease and my home help comes in the morning and evening to dress me. I can only say that the service provided by the national health service is excellent.
Staff are trained and supervised by state-registered nurses. I am thus able to exercise independent living which is much cheaper for the State than full-time care.
I hope that anybody standing in the next election would ensure that all for-profit healthcare is removed from the health service.
More support needs to be given to organisations such as the Irish Motor Neuron Society which was of great assistance to people like me. The Irish Motor Neuron Society lost one of two registered nurses last year because of cutbacks.
For all those people attacking public-sector pensions I have to declare an interest – a €19 a week pension from the health service for five years work as an attendant in a large hospital. This comes in addition to the old-age pension.
Old-age pensioners are seeking immediate action to secure their bonus which should have been paid at Christmas in solidarity with indigent bankers. – Yours, etc,