Islanders claim health centre is no longer fit for purpose

The HSE has allocated €40,000 to revamp the current pre-fab building – but residents insist that it has gone beyond repair.

Mother-of-three Tara McMahon is among those who insists it’s “not fit for purpose”. She and another local woman, Veronica Cunnane, who describes the building as “a disgrace”, have had negative experiences with the building.

Tara moved to Inishbofin in 2012 and when she first saw the health centre, she thought it was used for storage. She “couldn’t believe it” when she learned it was the health centre.

Tara’s three children are aged four, two and 10 months, and the youngest developed a very bad cough at the age of twelve weeks. Tara’s concern, as they sat in the waiting room, was that the baby “could end up leaving here even sicker than she was coming in”.

She feels that the fact that islanders have to cope with such “totally substandard facilities,” shows a lack of support for a thriving, vibrant community.

Veronica describes the building as “unsightly,” and says its wheelchair ramp is a safety hazard. Her father goes there twice a week and “access up that ramp isn’t great for him”.

The main concern for the nurses and residents is that the health centre is covered in mould which has created mould spores. These are so small they can’t be seen, but according to Tara and Veronica, there’s a distinct smell of mould spores and dampness.

Roughly 20% of the population are allergic to mould spores. As well as causing allergic reactions, some species contain toxic compounds which can cause headaches, fatigue, running nose, sneezing, coughing and more seriously, pneumonia and asthma.

Young children, the elderly and people undergoing medical treatment are particularly susceptible to mould spores – and all of these groups regularly use Inishbofin’s health centre.

Veronica believes that the allocated €40,000 “won’t go far” to fix up the building. Because it’s extremely difficult to dispose of mould spores completely, she feels the HSE should knock the centre and starting from scratch.

Seven years ago, the Government allocated money to build a new centre but the HSE didn’t act and planning permission has now expired. More recently, the HSE claimed there’s a risk of flooding on the site that was earmarked for the new centre, making it no longer suitable.

Two nurses alternate working on the Island and for the last 40 years, properties have been rented out for their accommodation.

Last September, when a HSE representative deemed the health centre was no longer suitable, a decision was made to move to the now unoccupied Parochial House and locals say some €24,000 was pumped into that building. However, while it was suitable as a health centre, nurses’ accommodation became a problem.

The living room of the Parochial House was transformed into a patients’ waiting room, and as a result, accommodation for nurses was limited to just one bedroom and a kitchen. That meant that every time the nurses changed rosters, they’d have to pack their belongings and move them elsewhere.

Fianna Fáil Galway West TD and Spokesperson on Island Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív agrees, describing the state of the health centre as “inexcusable”.

He acknowledges that the only solution is to build a new health centre. “I will continue to pursue the issue as I have before,” he promised.

“A functioning health centre should be a basic requirement, not a perceived luxury,” he added.