A TRAVELLER triage health clinic which caters for the influx of Christmas visitors in Rathkeale each year should not be provided for free.
That’s according to Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary at this month’s Adare-Rathkeale area meeting.
Independent Ireland councillor John O’Donoghue took the view that there’s a “unique situation” in Rathkeale as the population triples at Christmastime every year.
The Council pointed out that towns like Kilkee and Tramore also see their populations grow every summer, but agreed that Rathkeale was certainly unique in Limerick at Christmas.
Council members were informed that the local authority is currently working with stakeholders with services already “wrapped up for the Christmas season”, which included medical triage and other services.
“Provision of services is for all the residents of Rathkeale and that’s why the whole premise of the Town Centre First Policy is around inclusivity, sustainability, and ultimately delivering a better job for everyone,” Council management explained.
In recent years, the HSE triage clinic, staffed by a GP, a nurse, and an administration person, has operated daily over the Christmas period in Rathkeale.
The West Limerick town sees its population increase over the festive period as thousands of members of the Traveller community flock to Rathkeale to meet up with relatives and get married, as is traditional around the Christmas holidays.
Adare-Rathkeale area representative Cllr Keary now says that he would like to see that the increased population arriving into Rathkeale for Christmas, who get free access to a medical triage clinic, instead pay for their own medical care.
“Maybe it’s a very minimal contribution, but they can go down to the pharmacy and get free medication. They won’t be paying nothing on it and we have to pay, myself and my wife, so much every month,” Cllr Keary told the meeting.
“I have a free doctor now because I’m over 70, but that’s only in recent times. Why should they come back here and have access to all those free facilities?”