'Absolutely scandalous' lack of HSE Meals on Wheels service for Portlaoise
The lack of a Meals on Wheels service for Portlaoise's elderly and vulnerable is "embarrassment" and "absolute scandal" say Portlaoise councillors.
They have laid the responsibility on the Health Service Executive, who "pulled the rug" on it after many years of providing meals cooked in the hospital.
The town with a population of over 24,000 people had less than 30 residents getting the low cost hot dinners in recent times, thanks to a voluntary effort by Rafters Café in Laois Shopping Centre. When that restaurant closed in January, The Hare's Corner in Mountmellick took it on but had to stop in June over financial constraints.
Cllr Marie Tuohy tabled a motion to the September meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking Laois County Council to assist in any way possible to get the Meals on Wheels service reinstated in Portlaoise.
"This is a group of people who don't shout loud, they are very vulnerable. As well as a hot meal, a lot of them don't socialise that much so a volunteer coming to the door was a social interations, a window to the outside world.
"I've spoken to Storm Powell (Laois Partnership) who believes there is no issue with volunteers. It's the funds to cook the food. It's an embarrassment that a town the size of Portlaoise doesn't have the service," Cllr Tuohy said.
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded the motion.
"This is a vital service. It's great to hear there's no issue with volunteers. It is important that our elderly and vulnerable have at least one good warm meal a day. For the size of the town it's hard to believe we don't have it," she said.
The Cathaoirleach Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald cited the end of the HSE's involvement as the big issue.
"The HSE provided it in the hospital which was ideal. The rug was pulled overnight with no consultation with staff. Now a town this size has no service. We should contact the HSE to get them back to cook, and get the PPN here in Laois to get it up and running. It's absolutely scandalous the way it happened. People in the hospital were delighted to provide it. It suited the HSE to pull the plug," she said.
Cllr Willie Aird describes the loss of the service as "a total contradiction to the whole ethos of asking people to stay in their homes, especially when it's pulled by the HSE".
"They encourage people to stay at home with home helps. This is the difference between these people and the local authority. At any day we can ask the council 'who made that decision?'," he said.
Cllr Fitzgerald said they will seek to meet with Age Friendly, the PPN and the HSE.
Elsewhere in Laois, Portarlington Meals on Wheels feeds over 80 people a week with meals cooked in the social services centre, funded by the HSE. Two more services run in the Abbeyleix and Mountmellick areas serve dinners cooked in the HSE's community nursing units in those towns.