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GE2024WaterfordWATERFORD INDEPENDENT TD Matt Shanahan has apologised for “any upset” he caused by projecting an election ad on a hospital building housing palliative care and oncology services.
The HSE this morning told The Journal that University Hospital Waterford has urged “respect” for “the privacy and dignity of [its] patients, visitors and staff”.
The hospital is appealing for activity of this nature to be conducted “outside the boundaries” of its campus, the HSE added.
The HSE said hospital management learned of the projected image at 7pm on Wednesday evening and it ceased at 8pm “after engagement with the parties involved”.
WLRFM reported yesterday that Shanahan used a laser display to project “vote Shanahan” on the hospital’s Dunmore Wing.
The building in question houses a hospice care ward and oncology services.
Shanahan said this morning that he apologised for any upset caused by using the Dunmore Wing to raise awareness of his election campaign.
He had initially defended his actions last night, stating that the illumination to the gable end of the hospital wing lasted 90 minutes and “could not disturb or be seen in any way by patients resident”.
Wicklow Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, whose sister died in the Dunmore Wing two years ago, said she was “disgusted” by Shanahan’s use of the building.
The Dunmore wing includes a palliative care unit.
— Jennifer Whitmore TD (@WhitmoreJen) November 27, 2024
I know because my sister died there 2 years ago.
I'm disgusted at this. Patients and their families deserve peace and quiet..not to be used for electoral purposes. https://t.co/tk1cxmpLgM
This morning, Shanahan said that he had made a mistake and he hoped voters would judge him on his campaigning record, not this “one event”.
“I was trying as I have done repeatedly in the Dail, to shine a light on the issues facing our hospital which remains completely underfunded. In this instance, with this activity I regret any upset caused,” Shanahan said.
“I am deeply passionate about University Hospital Waterford, and I hope the people of Waterford know that. My activity was solely directed at keeping UHW and allied services at the forefront of our regional political debate.”
Statement in clarification of UHW laser activity #Waterford pic.twitter.com/b95UqvbpHc
— Matt Shanahan TD (Ind) 🇮🇪 🇺🇦 🇪🇺 (@MattShanahanTD) November 28, 2024
Shanahan has previously campaigned for improved hospital services in Waterford, founding the South East Hospitals Action Alliance. The advocacy group protested against the downgrading of Waterford Regional Hospital (now UHW) in the 2012 budget.
In 2016, Shanahan founded Health Equality For the South East, to improve UHW cardiology services with a second cath lab and 24/7 percutaneous coronary intervention capability.
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No regard for the sick and dying. Perfectly suited to politics.
@Don Johnson: a LOT of votes lost with this sick stunt hopefully
@Don Johnson: How did this affect anyone who is sick or dying? Talk about blowing things out of proportion.
@Ger Whelan: if you are walking in there everyday to sit next to a dying loved one as I have this is the height of insensitivity…
@Ger Whelan: where do you draw the line??? advertising on coffins?? A very sick, totally inappropriate stunt & good to see him getting called out on it
In a statement last night, when he was called out on it, he refused to apologize. The arrogance is breathtaking
@Mayo seem to be the football equivalent of Waterfo: Yeah, I saw that on Facebook. He only apologised when he got backlash for it. He’s not sorry at all.
@Mayo seem to be the football equivalent of Waterfo:
More chance of U turn Mary’s Sinn Fein apologising for what their thug wing did to the Irish people over the decades.
@H Woo: SF never did anything to me over the decades. What did they do to you exactly?
FG and FF’s Greed and Lies wing have done me a lot more harm.
If the SF you fantasize about actually existed, Micheál, Simon and Leo would have all been found in skips with a couple of holes in the back of their heads.
@Jen McC: normally you should have to get permission to show anything on private grounds, typical of the idiot politicians who think they can do what they want when canvassing.
There are simply not enough Micheal Martin ads on Journal.
As someone who’s spent time in that hospice and the fantastic staff..shame on him..
@Comments Section Closed: don’t be a child..spent time in the building..
@Clare Power: ..yes on a TROLLey
This guy is a fake Independent TD. He’s got strong Fine Gael ties and vote lock-step with them on every proposal that has come to a vote. All you have to do is look up his voting record on the Dáil website. If you actually want proper Independents in the Dáil and not Independents in the name only, vote this guy out. He has backed every single one of Fine Gael’s wacky environmental policies, their left-wing economic policies and their disgusting anti-Israel stance.
@Frank O’Hara:
The fact he did not vote with the lefty lefy clown car.
Means he has some cope on and descenty in him.
@H Woo: He precisely did vote with the clown car that is Fine Gael. Fine Gael are a bunch of left-wing tools who want open borders, high taxes, abortion on demand, LGBT indoctrination in schools, rent and price controls and are virulently anti-Israel. You’ve got your logic twisted Woo.
Numpty Dumpty
Sat in the Dail
Numpty Dumpty
Had a great fall.
All the back handers
And the closed ring of friends
Couldn’t put Ireland together Again
@Liam Meade: Another William McGonagal!
Numpty dumpty dail..
You would get more decent in the toughest wing off any prison then most off politicians , pure dirt
People are dying for a government that will
make health care a no. 1 priority.
@Sean Lyne:
Opposition lefties have fugees as their priority.
He’s moved on from victim blaming then? The irony is that it was he who no situational awareness’ on this occasion. What a toss pot.
Additionally, he wasn’t paying attention to his “situational awareness” when choosing to advertise against a Hospital……. Such poor choices…. Only himself to blame……
Well, all he’s done it demonstrate his complete lack of cop on.
Some choices are bad, and probably not much of a big deal in the grand scheme of things BUT the fact that someone makes that choice, that is what’s telling…….
If, as Shanahan says, his concern was to promote the interest of the hospital then why was the projected message simply saying: “Vote Shanahan”? Why not say “Fund this hospital properly”. Methinks Shanahan is being economical with his perception of truth.
Ban all posters, period. A throwback to the nineteen thirties!
4 comments so far. If he was FF or FG the usual suspects would be apoplectic with rage and demanding heads to roll. But he’s independent so they don’t care.
Speaking of state run facilities, interesting fact check today on the number of hotel and B&B beds that have been repurposed to house asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees. Seems the tourist industry hasn’t been destroyed after all
@Kevin Kerr: Yes: Peadar Tóibín spreading misinformation.
@Brendan O’Brien: you forgot to say ‘again’
@Kevin Kerr: Yeah, they just close down the hotel instead as was done in our town. It’s used for accommodation for IPAs.
@Clare Power: I wonder how many of them there are? In my town, 2 hotels have been repurposed. One is registered with Failte Ireland, the other probably not as it had been out of use for many years
@Kevin Kerr: our hotel was in use…now any tourist must stay outside the city centre..
@Clare Power: and it’s not registered with Failte Ireland?
@Kevin Kerr: I don’t know that Kevin, to be honest, it’s been the only hotel in the city centre for years… was a working hotel, and one day, it was shut.
@Clare Power: ah, I misinterpreted your original post!
@Brendan O’Brien: Kevin and Brendan, pair of gimps having a simp competition.
@Freda Peeple: They’re the same person.
@Kevin Kerr: There you go, two hotels in one town, does that not seem a lot to you? And how many towns across Ireland are in this situation, where i live there are 3 hotels closed to tourists because they now housing immigrants, how much do you think that takes out of the local economy.
@Seanie: I never said it didn’t affect the local economy. My post relates to the fact check article which found that 12% of tourist beds have been repurposed for asylum seekers – according to Peader Toibin on the immigration debate on Monday, this number is 33%. Quite the disconnect. Also, there is a narrative from certain journal commenters that our tourist industry has been destroyed – again, quite the exaggeration, but I accept it is a challenge
@Seanie: No, you’re wrong….why don’t u direct your anger somewhere else instead of blaming me for somebody else’s slight.
@Clare Power: what are you on about? What did i blame you for?…..Did i somehow direct anger at you? Are you paranoid often?
@Seanie: Sorry, my bad, that was meant for Freda…but as you suggested myself and Kevin are not one..
@Clare Power: Is that you Brendan, have you forgotten to switch profiles, as you might notice my reply to Freda above referred to Brendan and Kevin no mention of Clare Power, big slip up.
@Seanie: nor brendan either…I’m my own woman thanks
@Seanie: I replied to your inferring myself and Kevin were the same..
@Clare Power: Really Brendan, go back and look at it, no mention of Clare Power, Hard to believe that you accuse people of having multiple profiles but you’re no different…hypocrite.
‘There is no such thing as bad publicity. Let’s do this!’
Erm….
That’s typifies the level of intellect that’s trying to run the country. Well matched to the incumbents.
Noel O’Donovan (Cork SW) is using one of those traffic warning signs which usually signal road works, diversions, closures, etc. to flash ‘Vote No 1 Noel O’ Donovan’. On the N71.
Is he going to apologise for all the lies he told during his campaign???
have your say