An Taoiseach Brian Cowen has praised Galway Hospice staff for making an “extraordinary” contribution to the needs of the community.
He was speaking during a special visit to the Renmore facility at the weekend.
Mr Cowen met patients and clients of the hospice and members of its board of directors. He said he was especially moved by the homely atmosphere and by the “remarkable” work being done for the community in Galway.
The Taoiseach’s visit marked the hospice receiving internationally recognised accreditation for the quality service it delivers. It is one of only two hospices in Ireland and the UK to have achived such recognition.
The facility, in addition to running the 12-bed in-patient unit in Renmore, provided 4,936 home visits in 2009. There were also 1,492 day attendances by clients at the hospice. The home visits and day care services cost €1.4 million to deliver.
Galway people have contributed more than €20 million in funding to the hospice over the past 20 years. Its day and homecare services are totally funded by charitable contributions from the public.
In fact, as hospice CEO Sean O’Healy pointed out in a short address to the Taoiseach, the Galway Hospice is, proportionately, the least funded by the HSE in the country.
Speaking at the function attended by clients, patients, directors and staff, the Taoiseach congratulated the hospice on its “remarkable work”.
“The hospice movement makes an extraordinary contribution to the community, you show an extraordinary professionalism, you are there to listen and it is a pleasure to visit and acknowledge the great work you do here.”
Welcoming the Taoiseach, board of directors member Joe Connolly said the hospice represented a triumph of the spirit.
“It was a tribute to the people of Galway who had funded it and continued to do so.”
He recalled that more than 20 years previously there had been a fundraising event involving a cycle race from Ballinasloe to Galway. One of the people involved in that event had been the late actor Mick Lally.
“Against all the odds, week-in, week-out, Galway Hospice continues to do wonderful things for people .... for the people of Galway and their families, it is the hospice of the people of Galway,” said Mr Connolly.
CEO Mr O’Healy paid tribute to the accreditation team, including palliative care consultant, Dr Ita Harnett; director of nursing Mari Gallagher; Claire Hahessy, the team leader and to all the staff who had made the achievement possible.
