Council backs plans for St Francis’

The campaign to save St Francis’ Nursing Home has been bolstered by a Galway City Council decision to call for empty beds at the facility to be used as ‘step-down beds’ for Galway University Hospitals.

The motion, which was tabled at Monday’s meeting by Cllr Catherine Connolly, called for local councillors to endorse HSE West’s proposal to designate empty beds in St Francis’ as step-down beds and also to employ the necessary extra staff to run this service.

Speaking yesterday, Cllr Connolly said the unanimous support for the motion across all parties is a “very significant step”, adding that “it is really now down to the Government TDs to break their silence and publicly endorse the positive solution proposed by the HSE West”. 

“This is a win-win solution for both GUH and St Francis Community Nursing Home, and would allow the remaining residents there to live in their home with dignity. It would also ensure that Galway City, with a population of 72,000, would retain its one and only public nursing home.”

Cllr Connolly added that she would also be tabling a motion for the Regional Health Forum meeting on Tuesday 28 February.