Deputy Ferris is Livid as Leo takes Lion’s Share of Hospital Lunch Time
Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris has said that some staff working at Kerry General Hospital were forced to go without lunch yesterday because the staff canteen was closed to facilitate the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar.
Deputy Ferris said he was contacted by a number of staff members who were furious that they were not able to enter the canteen between 1pm and 2.40pm because the minister was having his lunch.
“I was contacted by a number of staff members from Kerry General Hospital 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.
“Staff had been informed that the canteen would be closed for a couple of hours but it was it due to re-open at 2pm. 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.
“As if the staff don’t have enough to put up with working under extremely difficult circumstances, this only adds insult to injury,” said Deputy Ferris.
The Truly Diverse Michael Healy Rae Laying Tracks to the Dáil
With just eight days to go until Polling Day, Kerry T.D. Michael Healy-Rae has released yet another Election song following on from the success of ‘Make the Diff’ which now stands at over 88,000 views on YouTube.
Entitled ‘Back to the Dail’, the song is more lively and very much sounds like the track to the hit single ‘Shut Up and Dance’ by Walk The Moon.
Deputy Healy-Rae, on hearing the end result said that he hopes it will bring another bit of life to this campaign.
“Again massive credit has to go to the lads of Truly Diverse: Kieran, Patrick, Anthony and Brendan they are extremely talented. They wrote the lyrics and mixed the music and that was a massive effort to a tight deadline and I appreciate that so much,” said the tech savvy TD.
Healy-Rae admitted that this was the original song that was supposed to go out but the ‘Make the Diff’ song was a brain wave by local Killarney man, Tom Lucey who collaborated with Truly Diverse.
“I think he was in bed one night and dreamt it up, it was very catchy and was stuck in my head for the last two weeks,” said MHR.
Frontman for Truly Diverse, Kieran Healy said that they just wanted to help Michael Healy Rae in anyway they could and this was the best way they knew how.
“It’s for all the amazing work he does down here in Kerry and we wish him all the best in the remaining week of the campaign,” said Kieran.
“I promised there would be more, I enjoyed the opportunity of being able to go to the studio and record my little piece. It certainly was a new experience with the lads even showing me how to mix a bit of music and, who knows, if politics doesn’t work I could become a DJ under the stage name Dr Rae
“I think that’s what the lads called me. This is the last song now, but who knows at the rate the lads are going we could have an album soon, but I hope everyone enjoys it, it’s a bit of fun and again I am very thankful to them,” he concluded.
You can catch up of the latest release from the Truly Diverse, Michael Healy Rae by clicking on the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kGKy1R-jo
Spring welcomes €4 Million funding allocation for storm damaged roads
Arthur J. Spring has welcomed the allocation of €4 million to Kerry County Council to urgently address damaged regional and local roads following recent winter storms.
The funding will be provided immediately to the council to begin urgent repair to regional and local road.
“I welcome the funding for Kerry roads after a particularly severe winter period which has badly damaged roads across the county” Arthur Spring commented.
“I would urge Kerry County Council to begin works immediately as roads have been left in a left state following the unprecedented number of severe storm and heavy rainfall in recent months” Deputy Spring added.
“Nationally an allocation of €8 million is being provided to Transport Infrastructure Ireland for works on national roads and a further €8 million is being allocated to Irish Rail for repairs to rail infrastructure which will also be of benefit to the county.
“In total Labour Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD will provide funding of €106 million nationally via the Department of Transport this year to address storm and flooding damage that was caused to transport infrastructure in recent months. €85 million will be allocated to local authorities immediately with the remainder to be allocated in May 2016,” according to Deputy Spring.
