A large backlog of mostly elderly patients awaiting cataract surgery at Waterford Regional Hospital has been significantly reduced by outsourcing operations to private healthcare providers.

Last year the Dáil Public Accounts Committee was asked to look at how certain public hospital waiting lists were being tackled and whether value for money was being achieved.

In response to a January 2014 parliamentary question submitted by Waterford TD John Deasy the HSE outlined the steps it was taking to reduce the cataract surgery list.

The HSE subsequently confirmed there had been 1,135 patients on the WRH Ophthalmology Scheduled Care register as of July 31, 2013. Of these, 382 had breached the Department of Health 12-month waiting list target.

PAC member Deputy Deasy says: “An analysis of the hospital’s capacity to manage the accumulation of cases identified that only 320 would be treated by the end of 2013.

“The inability to deal internally with the backlog was attributed to three vacant permanent posts at Ardkeen — the hospital having been down to one full-time ophthalmic surgeon and two part-time consultants.”

The Hospital’s general manager sought and received approval from the HSE to outsource procedures to five hospitals to complete the volume of surgeries by the end of 2013.

Of the 815 patients offered a service in private hospitals, 666 accepted. Some patients wished to remain on the WRH waiting list and others had already received treatment elsewhere.

A breakdown shows the operations were carried out in Whitfield Clinic, Waterford (171), Auteven Kilkenny (196), Eye and Ear Hospital Dublin (122), and two Cork hospitals, The Bon Secours (101) and Mater Private (76).

Initial discussions with the private providers indicated a cost of around €2,300 per cataract procedure. Agreement was reached on a price of €1,900, paid to the hospitals, which the HSE regarded as “reasonable”.

In a follow-up report to the PAC last week, the head of the HSE’s South/South West Hospital Group said that since December University Hospital Waterford has had a full complement of four consultant ophthalmologists. There's also a plan in place to cater for patients in-house, “ensuring reduced waiting times”.

John Deasy added: “While the numbers who have received procedures are significant, I’m aware of others who couldn’t wait and went abroad to get treatment.

“I also know there are people who don’t fall into these categories so I’ll be asking the HSE what the current waiting list is like and how quickly it will be dealt with. 

“There has been progress but there are still people waiting too long. Elderly people shouldn't have to endure diminished sight and blindness considering how treatable the condition is in most circumstances,” Deasy said.

“Ideally all these operations should be taking place in University Hospital Waterford but the priority has to be to ensure people get the treatment they need. And if that means outsourcing procedures to private providers then that’s fine.”

Having lobbied for a new urban regeneration scheme for Waterford to be extended beyond Georgian buildings to all pre-1915 properties, John Deasy says the revised Living City Initiative launched recently means hundreds of additional residences will qualify for the incentives.

“To definitively determine whether their property is included in the scheme people should contact Waterford City and County Council’s Economic Development team,” he said. “The map is strictly defined and there are stringent criteria and various restrictions/options that should be studied.”

Aimed at revitalising run-down town centres, the scheme will see two types of tax allowances applied to works carried out to century-old houses and certain commercial properties within a specific zone, whose scope is wider than originally intended.

Drawn up by the Department of Finance in consultation with the local Council and Revenue, the Waterford ‘special regeneration area’ — which will be operative over a five-year qualifying period — effectively comprises the entire old inner city.

As well as focusing on some of Waterford’s most historic streets and thoroughfares, the designated area also takes in some sites on the far side of Rice Bridge, including the derelict north wharves.

On the opposite bank its boundary begins beyond the brewery block and follows the line of the River Suir right along the South Quays before winding around Waterpark College as far as Glenville.

There it shifts across to the Dunmore Road, back in along Passage Road, and over to Ballytruckle and Poleberry; continues on in to Manor Street, Barrack Street, Cannon Street, Slievekeale Road, Morrissons Road, Upper Yellow Road, Military Road and Gracedieu Road; before rejoining the river at Grattan Quay to complete the main loop.

Opportunity

Having pushed to get the scheme widened to maximise its uptake here — “The initial 2013 version was confined to Georgian era buildings, which Waterford has very few of, so a much broader interpretation of ‘old’ was needed” — John Deasy says it gives those with the resources to renovate an opportunity to write off the cost against their income.

The first type of relief available allows owner-occupiers of properties originally built as dwellings before 1915 to carry out refurbishment or conversion works and deduct the outlay from their income tax over 10 years.

The second element will enable investors to claim capital allowances — spread over seven years — for the refurbishment or conversion of premises used for retail or providing local services.

There’s no ceiling on the total commercial spend, just the relief, which is capped at €200,000 per project — a requirement to get past EU State aid rules, which delayed the scheme’s roll-out. In all cases works must cost at least 10% of the property’s existing market value.

Some 80% of architects and auctioneers surveyed in Waterford suggested a significant direct employment impact from the scheme, which is also being introduced in other main urban centres, including Kilkenny and Cork.

“Refurbishment of old buildings is very labour intensive and high-standard work, and over half the capital spend would be expected to go on tradespeople and related services,” John said.

Waterford local authority and tourism personnel will make a presentation for inclusion in the Wild Atlantic Way this afternoon, Wednesday, May 6.

Deputy John Deasy received a commitment on the Dáil floor from Tourism Minister Michael Ring last month that the county would be given an opportunity to make its case to Fáilte Ireland.

The Fine Gael TD received confirmation that the pitch will take place in the Minister’s office in Dublin today at 3pm.

Anne-Marie Tierney-Le Roux’s appointment as IDA Regional Manager for the South East is already having a positive impact.

“Even in the short time she has been in place things have really improved from the point of coordination and communications," says John.

“Before her position was created, the local economic development officials and the IDA had ceased sharing information on matters such as company itineraries.

“Having that kind of individual presence at that senior level in Waterford was always going to be important when it comes to attracting potential investors, and it seems to be working out that way.”

John lobbied for the reinstatement of the role to Waterford and publicly challenged Minister Richard Bruton to reverse his decision to locate an IDA director in Cork in the mid-nineties covering the south of the country.

An urban regeneration scheme aimed at renovating old properties in Waterford and five other cities will finally get off the ground in the coming weeks.

When the Living City Initiative was first announced over two years ago it was restricted to Georgian era buildings. But after consulting with local authority officials and Waterford Civic Trust, Deputy John Deasy lobbied to have it modified to include all pre-1914 properties.

“This has been a tortuous process, with the scheme held up by the European Commission. Getting State Aid clearance has required some minor changes but generally speaking the concept is pretty much intact.”

He expects Finance Minister Michael Noonan to sign the commencement order next month. Waterford City and County Council submitted its recommended designated areas some time ago and these have been weighed up by the Department and Revenue.

The residential element of the scheme, which is expected to have a much bigger take-up in Waterford, will allow eligible home owners to claim reliefs for the entire cost of refurbishment works, spread against income over 10 years.

Meanwhile, commercial owner-occupiers will be able to claim tax reliefs (capped at €200,000) for refurbishment works on business premises, written off over a seven-year period.

Depending on the final designation, it’s understood that a significant number of residential properties in Waterford could qualify.

Deputy Deasy says the fact that this scheme will also operate in Cork and Kilkenny means it has the potential to create substantial work for local tradespeople in the construction/conservation sector.

“If the take-up is anywhere as good as the Home Renovation Incentive Scheme, which only meant reclaiming the VAT back, then it should be a useful initiative.”

Waterford is to be allowed to make a formal case for inclusion in the Wild Atlantic Way.

Fine Gael TD John Deasy has secured a commitment from Tourism Minister Michael Ring to facilitate a presentation to officials from Fáilte Ireland and his Department.

The Waterford deputy made the request in the Dáil on Wednesday (April 15), notwithstanding the previous morning’s launch of ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’, a new marketing promotion based around heritage sites and cultural assets.

Last July Mr Deasy met Fáilte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn and persuaded the tourism body to let Waterford City and County Council pitch to become part of the Wild Atlantic Way.

But while the Waterford local authority set to work on a submission, council officials in Cork have not pushed for east Cork’s inclusion, leaving an obvious missing link to the touring route’s conclusion in Kinsale.

Mr Deasy sees Waterford Airport as an ideal south-eastern starting point for the WAW touring route. The new VLM Waterford—London Luton service will operate 12 flights each way weekly from April 27, with strong bookings so far.

Having “bent the ear of every official and politician for the past four years to secure funding to keep the airport going until a new London carrier was found”, Mr Deasy says “it’s now time to give it the chance to become self-sustaining, which is what Governments have repeatedly said they’ve wanted.”

With the State having invested massively in Waterford Airport — including €10m in upgrading the access road alone — he says “it’s critical that the Government now starts connecting projects to the infrastructure… and this is how you do it.”

While by no means being negative about or dismissing the potential of the ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ product — which, he feels, “can work if marketed properly” around attractions such as the Viking Triangle in Waterford City — “there’s no escaping the fact that it doesn’t focus on the county’s coastline in any shape or form.”

“Our priority is marketing our spectacular coast,” he said, saying Wild Atlantic Way status would work in tandem with a number of major tourism-led projects, such as the Deise Greenway, the UNESCO Copper Coast Geopark, and the regeneration of Tramore.

Mr Deasy added, “To see the Giant’s Causeway promoted on the Wild Atlantic Way website while a large chunk of the southern seaboard is left out is slightly incongruous.”

He rejected the idea that Waterford’s inclusion would “dilute the essence” of the Wild Atlantic Way, saying: “This is not about looking for a hand-out. We feel we can add greatly to the overall proposition and only want in on merit. I’m asking that we get the opportunity to make that case.”

While emphasising the potential of ‘Ireland’s Ancient East’ “if communities buy in to it,” Minister Ring acknowledged that the Wild Atlantic Way has been “a tremendous success” in selling Ireland overseas.

Willing to respond “in a very positive manner”, the Minister said he had “no problem” in facilitating a presentation from Waterford officials. “I will set up that opportunity for him... and I will sit in on it myself.”

He added afterwards: “Clinching the London link was key. The future of the airport here was very tenuous. Remember, Galway and Sligo have shut down to commercial flights. It was about buying time.

“We now have the new routes but we have to build on it. As I said in the Dáil, it is now critical for the Government to consider the airport’s future and not simply to say ‘Job done’.”

He cautioned that connecting east Cork remains a serious obstacle Waterford joining the Wild Atlantic Way. “There are people in west Cork who would like it to end there; one factor being the concerns surrounding the huge debt attached to Cork Airport.

“But as well as talking to Waterford Airport management I also met the relevant officials in the Department recently and I think they agree that Cork, with 54 routes versus our two, is not comparable and that including us in the Wild Atlantic Way wouldn’t have an adverse tourism impact elsewhere.”

ANALYSIS | John Drennan
RISING TIDE OF 1916 COMMEMORATIONS

Senior government backbencher John Deasy has warned that the commemorations of 1916 must not deteriorate into a series of whimsical poetry recitals, historical theorising, flag waving and parades.

Instead, Mr Deasy told the Sunday Independent: ''If these commemorations are to be worthwhile, they must confront the hard history of 1916.''

We need, he said, to: "Prioritise the telling of the people's stories from what was a brutal age, who was shot, why they were there and what happened to them."

Mr Deasy was responding to the Government's announcement, after a series of embarrassing controversies, of 40 major events for next year, with the centrepiece being a wreath-laying ceremony and parade in Dublin city centre.

There will also be a State reception for relatives of those involved in the Rising, a parade from Dublin Castle to Parnell Square on Easter Sunday, synchronised wreath-laying ceremonies and an event at Liberty Hall to commemorate James Connolly.

Mr Deasy, however, said he was ''deeply concerned that the commemoration would not deal effectively with those who were most intimately involved in the event: namely the casualties''.

He said: ''I do not see here any sustained attempt to properly detail the human stories of 1916."

This, he added, applies to all sides: "Those who were killed in action, the 64 volunteers and ICA members plus the 16 executions, 132 on the British side, 16 policemen, all Irish and 254 civilians; what are their stories?

"What is of particular interest when it comes to 1916 is that far more civilians than combatants were killed; what were their stories?"

The Fine Gael TD added: ''I assumed innocently the focus would initially be on those who died or were wounded. Instead we appear to be planning to have a lot of pageantry, poetry recitals and parades.''

Mr Deasy slammed those politicians who do not want the commemorations to be dominated by the violent events of 1916.

If we are to be truthful, Mr Deasy said, there is no alternative.

"Like every other war or battle in history, the events were bloody and ugly and hundreds of people were killed, mostly in cold blood. Avoiding the hard history of that at a minimum appears to be strange," he said.

''How we operate here will set the template here for further commemorations of the War of Independence and the Civil War.''

He added: ''If we are going to get a sanitised version full of poetry recitals and cottage industries of theorising politicians and amateur historians rather than the harsher truths of what really happens in war, no good purpose will be served''.

Mr Deasy, both of whose grandfathers fought in the War of Independence, added that engaging in the 'futile' attempt to assign meaning to this period will represent a waste of time.

''Remember the dead and wounded as individuals and let the people make their own judgment will be more respectful of those involved," he said.

Should we fail to do this, he warned: ''We open up the unattractive prospect that the commemorations will be dominated by politicians telling us what it really meant.

"Indeed, already a certain malaise has set in when it comes to an excess of amateur historians providing us with their takes on what happened.''

Following a recent visit by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee to Vietnam, additional resources have been sanctioned to market the Irish dairy sector in Southeast Asia.

Waterford TD John Deasy, who led the delegation, said: “The inescapable fact is that Vietnam needs to be immediately targeted by Bord Bia due to the ending of the quota regime. 

“The European Commission will shortly finalise a free trade agreement with Vietnam and by extension gain access to 630 million consumers in the ASEAN group of countries.”

He added: “A good deal has happened since our return. Following conversations I’ve had with Simon Coveney, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has agreed to fund additional Bord Bia personnel in emerging markets.

“Based on the draft report we’ve been working on, a Bord Bia presence in Vietnam to specifically target food and dairy industry trade links has been agreed in principle. We’ve also been in contact with Bord Bia who support this measure.”

Mr Deasy said: “One criticism we heard was that all of our bets seems to be placed on China. At present Bord Bia’s staff in that part of the world is based in Shanghai, while Enterprise Ireland operates out of Singapore.

“If we want a greater piece of the export trade dominated by countries such as New Zealand and Holland then we need to put resources in place to carry out market analysis and promotion; creating awareness of our capacity to produce premium dairy goods, including infant milk formula for instance,” the Fine Gael deputy added.

“Our local dairy farmers in Waterford rely on Bord Bia to expand the global market in order to sell their produce. We need to spread the risk associated with the volatility across the dairy sector by entering new territories such as Vietnam and other emerging economies.”

A proposal by Fine Gael TDs John Deasy and Michael Creed for a new high-level oversight structure to manage the “dramatic” change and growth within the Irish dairy sector has been adopted by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

The two Munster deputies put forward the concept after holding a series of meetings with key industry players ahead of the abolition of EU quotas on March 31 — a development that’s seen many milk producers, particularly younger farmers, investing heavily in expansion.

Arising from these discussions the party colleagues suggested that a new partnership be established to manage the volatility that will occur within the domestic dairy industry, mirroring the situation globally.

Having taken their template on board, the Minister confirmed its implementation at the start of a special Dáil debate on the sector, held on the eve of the opening of Glanbia’s new €235m milk processing plant at Belview.

“We are going to set up a dairy forum so as to ensure all the stakeholders with a vested interest are part of the discussion — and I will chair it,” Mr Coveney said. It will be modelled on the beef forum, albeit “less adversarial”.

Contributing to the debate, which he requested last December on foot of an adverse Teagasc milk price outlook for 2015, John Deasy said his idea for an oversight structure was prompted by the need to carefully manage “the completely new frontier” facing the sector.

Waterford is one of the country’s dairy heartlands with some 750-plus milk producers making a massive input to the wider economy. He says dairy expansion on the scale envisaged offers “enormous potential for rural Ireland,” at a time when many are talking about its demise.

However, reflecting on the vast Irish dairy landscape that prevailed before EU supply controls were introduced 31 years ago — around 65,000 milk producers in 1983 compared to circa 18,000 now — he acknowledged that “one of the main challenges is to keep as many people in this business as possible”.

But despite the inevitable market fluctuations that will be part and parcel of the post-quota era, the outlook for the sector is extremely optimistic, he feels. Mr Deasy said many industry sources he has spoken to regard the projected 50% growth within the domestic dairy sector over the next five years as “conservative.” 

Indeed, the Minister said it’s “reasonable to assume the Irish dairy industry will double over the next 15 years, if not before that”. Agreeing with his view that the conditions for such rapid expansion “are really only available to Ireland within Europe,” Deputy Deasy said the new oversight forum should be about “capitalising on our competitive advantage”.

Crucially, this optimistic perspective is shared by the banks. “Collectively, they have identified the Irish dairy sector as having incredible growth potential and are financing it accordingly. We met AIB and Bank of Ireland and they are competing to get a piece of a massively growing industry,” he said.

“There is no stopping the banks when it comes to lending as they see this as a good bet. If anything,” he suggested, “the new forum will need to take a look at their lending practices over the next three years and keep an eye on that. 

Noting “there is a comparatively low farm debt average in Ireland compared to other countries,” Mr Deasy said “the financial fundamentals for expansion are also far better here than among our European counterparts, and in places like Australia and New Zealand — though to a certain extent the sector’s continued viability will reply on managing the efficiency of dairy farms on an ongoing basis.”

Remarking that the Minister has done a very good job in preparing for the ending of the quota regime (such as the recent €35m investment in new dairy technology centres in Limerick and Cork) the Waterford TD said the partnership proposal he and Michael Creed put forward “is about accentuating the positive and the benefits that will accrue from better organisation in our domestic dairy sector.”

While what Mr Coveney called the quota “straitjacket” is being removed, Deputy Deasy acknowledged: “The reality is that the increased volatility we’re seeing will continue and maybe worsen across milk markets worldwide over the next 5–10 years as supply and demand finds its level.

“Given the relative unknown farmers are entering into, there needs to be an efficient and flexible oversight structure in place. It would bring all the stakeholders’ resources and expertise together within an effective strategic framework; coordinating their expertise in a cohesive, focused way.”

“The Minister saw that the changeover to unrestricted production would benefit considerably from this sort of proactive approach — and the fact he himself will chair it will give the forum added weight and impetus”.

Central to its workings will be the type of pricing models already being developed to counteract volatility. Also, “Having discussed is the spreading out of superlevy payments over three years, which is happening, another issue we’ve delved into is the degree of fragmentation that exists when it comes to offering farmers fixed milk price contracts,” Mr Deasy said. 

“Certain cooperatives do, but not all. Glanbia have run a very successful offer which is now oversubscribed and entering its fifth year. But in other parts of the country fixed price schemes have failed for various reasons, or are not available at all”.

He foresees the forum “reacting to whatever regulatory, legislative and commercial measures are required within what will be a rapidly changing environment, and evolving in response to trends and market realities.” 

The intention, he stressed, is “not to create quangos or add to budgets” — but rather to put the resources and know-how that already exists to best use. 

“We’re already seeing an increased level of coordination between the Department and the other key participants, including the Irish Dairy Board, Teagasc, the farming organisations, processing groups, and banks. It’s the perfect opportunity to adapt the Department’s institutional experience and incorporate it into a new industry partnership.”

Dungarvan Gymnastic Club’s new premises at Westgate Business Park were formally opened recently by Minister for Sport, Michael Ring TD, on February 19, 2015.

After seeing a dynamic display of gymnastics, the Minister praised the great work being done by the club to improve the health and well-being of its members in a fun and fitness-orientated environment.

The club was established eight years ago and is affiliated with Gymnastics Ireland. It currently caters for 149 recreational gymnasts and 49 competition gymnasts, ranging in age from four years upwards.

The club has competed at Women’s Artistic Gymnastics since 2008 with considerable success, winning 18 regional team medals (13 gold) and 8 team medals at national level. 

Members have also collected 78 individual regional medals and 4 national titles to date.
With the aid of a grant application by Waterford Sports Partnership to the Irish Sports Council, basic equipment was purchased such as floor and safety mats, a vault, springboard, and beam.

Over the past five years the club’s fundraising has enabled it to purchase additional equipment, including 2 asymmetric bars — all now housed in the club’s spacious new unit at 2-3 Westgate, having recently relocated from Dungarvan Sports Centre.

Having allocated the club a grant of €18,000 under the 2014 Sports Capital Programme, Minister Ring’s visit was arranged by Deputy John Deasy, who supported the club’s funding application. 

Lindsey Sheehan, club coach, says the sport’s popularity is really on the increase locally. “The club are currently receiving approximately 10-15 membership enquiries a week and have 30 applications on their wait list, with an additional 36 members wait-listed for the competition classes.” 

To cater for this demand, the club is planning to further improve its facilities and equipment. For more information see www.dungarvangymnastics.com