Nolan TD facebook page

Derek Nolan TD · 152 like this. 9 hours ago · My Response to Recent Facebook Posts I would like to respond to the inaccurate and unfair claims made about my attempt to help a constituent requiring treatment for pain. I first met with my constituent’s husband on Friday October 5th and agreed to do all that I could to help in the situation. I wholeheartedly understand that this is an extremely difficult situation for my constituent and her family. On Monday the 8th my staff and I made many enquiries to the relevant clinic and have been in ongoing contact with them in relation to this patients need. On the 9th, my constituent’s husband called my office and was given an update. On the 10th, a member of my staff again contacted the HSE via email and phone call. On the 11th, the HSE were again contacted and a member of my staff spoke with a staff member there and tried to get an earlier appointment for this constituent. On the same day, my constituent’s husband was contacted to update him on the conversations between the HSE and my staff. I fully refute that my office has not been trying to help and further the case of my constituent and that my office has not been in touch since with my constituent. It is simply untrue. I cannot disclose the full details of the case as it is personal and confidential and I must respect that. However, further to making enquiries with the HSE, I have been attempting to get statistics from the clinic about their out-patients numbers. This is with a view to raising this issue in the Dáil and getting the attention it deserves so that people do not have to suffer from pain while waiting between appointments. I informed my constituent’s husband of this. I called my constituent’s husband on Monday October 15th to discuss the matter further but there was no answer. The following Wednesday, following a phone call to my office, I contacted my constituents husband to discuss the matter. The first thing I said was that I was still trying to get progress on the issue and that I was raising the whole topic of delays with the pain clinic with the HSE. In fact, my office has been in contact with the CEO of Galway University Hospital in relation to the issue. During the phone call I did communicate my dissatisfaction with unfair and inaccurate comments left on Twitter, comments which implied that I was not doing anything to help. I found this very insulting to me, and to my staff, as we have been working very hard to try and secure an appointment for my constituent in the clinic. I have been a TD now for 19 months and have dealt with over 1,600 individual contacts from constituents. This is the first time that I have felt that my good name has been unfairly treated in this manner. I came to politics to help people and to represent the people of Galway West to the very best of my ability. I treat everyone who comes into my office with the utmost respect, but I expect the same in return. Finally, as I informed my constituent’s husband yesterday, I will keep working to get an appointment and am in constant contact with the HSE in relation to this issue. I hope that it can be resolved soon. 2Unlike · · Share You and 50 others like this. View all 24 comments Hugh Hamill Thanks for clearing up what actually happened Derek. It's very easy to get the virtual pitchforks and torches out on facebook and twitter these days, absent the full facts. Everyone should bear in mind that the girl who made the initial post is only 1...See More 9 hours ago · Like · 21 Anthony Muldoon Well said Hugh 8 hours ago · Like · 5 Jennifer Banks Derek I am the constituent in question and I would like to put my side: This was NEVER about me Steve went to your office in anger at the cuts at the hse which have resulted in this situation we waned you to let the people know what Dr Reilly and the hse were doing to us and thousands like me. 7 hours ago · Like · 8 Lisa Power Hugh it has nothing to do with the girl in question been 15 every one has a voice no matter what ok!! 7 hours ago via mobile · Like · 1 Josie O'Brien Good on you Jennifer,and a td is not a doctor,and i think its very unproffessionial of him to post on fb.... 7 hours ago · Like Jennifer Banks cond; Steve has been phoning your office daily as our situation at home deteriorated, he wanted to try and help as he was now helpless. To date our contact with your office has resulted in a suggestion we were trying to queue jump? other than your meet...See More 7 hours ago · Like · 7 Jennifer Banks @Hugh I had no idea what Keira was doing until I was alerted by a friend, I am very proud of her and she only restated the facts as we knew them if Derek Nolan is in contact with the HSE it would have been nice if he or a member of his staff told us? I began this with others to highlight the reality of life at the mercy of the health service. 7 hours ago · Like · 2 Hugh Hamill Jennifer, that was my point, that everyone should remember that she didn't have all the facts available to her when she made the post, which was not her fault. Anyway, good luck to you & your family, hopefully this will have a positive outcome in terms of highlighting the issues you face to a wider audience. 7 hours ago · Like Jennifer Banks Derek Steve has asked me to relay to you how hurt he is that you are accusing him of untruths he asked me to state that the only time he spoke with your office was when he 'phoned them' and other than the mention of queue jumping he was NEVER made awar...See More 6 hours ago · Like · 3 Josie O'Brien Jennifer i think you are a very strong Person and as his reputation he ruined it him self by posting on here,... 6 hours ago · Like Paula K O Brien It is a terrible truth that our health service is a shambles and that people like you suffer every day when it is your right to get help as and when you need it....its a basic human right. However, i do think that Derek Nolan is a person of integrity and would do all in his power to help his constituents...even if he is up against a brick wall at times. 6 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2 Laurence Darcy You allege you have done thinga to help Jennifer Banks and her suffering.. If you have. You have failed miserably. Jennifer is still suffering in chronic Pain. And taking Highly addictive drug. And her situation is getting worse. Time you stop talking and took some positive and affirmative action until this is solve. Sick of thoses that talk and do nothing. 5 hours ago · Like · 1 Keira Banks @Hugh i may only be 15 , but trust me i knew everything ! i knew every little thing that has gone on , as Jennifer is my mother and unfortunately i witness first hand her pain and i have for 12 years ! there is only so much one person can take from thi...See More 5 hours ago · Like · 16 Debbie Tilley Mr Nolan this is a family in dire need of help, you feel insulted? is this anything like being in constant pain for 12 years and feeling alone? Turning to you for help? get off Facebook and trying to justify yourself and make your actions count, that is why I assume you were elected. Facebook or twitter is not your platform, government and policies are 4 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2 Whitney Woodside This situation is too much for FB anyway. Should be dealt with professionally. 4 hours ago · Like · 1 Ciara Leena G People do realise that you didn't single-handedly crash the country and enforce health cuts, right? And that electing clientalistic politicians is more or less exactly what got us where we are? Also, exactly what did the other politicians from Galway do for this family, and why aren't they receiving equal levels of criticism? 4 hours ago via mobile · Like · 3 Michael O Connor I appreciate that Derek took time to establish the facts and we should always hear two sides of the story. What's not clear is the conflicting accounts. The daughter says no phone call for two weeks whereas Derek says regular calls and updates. Eith...See More 3 hours ago via mobile · Like · 1 Ger Kavanagh you must have very thin skin Mr Nolan it comes with the job like it or not and if you're not able for it stand down.I have had to put up with far worse in my workplace on a regular basis and if i complained about it first question I'd be asked is why did you join so,so Mr Nolan TD my advice is to do your job and dont expect pats on the back when doing it,it's your job and the Irish people are paying you well for it 2 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2 Martin Kingston I have never met Mr Nolan or am i a constituent of his, however, given what we read and hear, dealing with the HSE must be one of the great horrors of public life. I hope this woman is on adequate pain relief as soon as is possible but speaking as a former member of a local authority, dealing with government bodies, even as an elected public representative, can be utterly soul destroying. about an hour ago · Like Jennifer Banks I want this Nolan slapping to stop we raised this issue because of the cuts in the hse Derek Nolan spoke to steve once on the phone and NEVER relayed any of the work he has or has not doing on our behalf, his call was about my online comments and in th...See More about an hour ago · Like · 1 Georgina Russell Mr. Nolan, I do hope you have taken the actions that you have described in the above response, as it is your job to take action when asked by one of your constituents in dire need for help. However I think it much more likely that you are facing the ou...See More 53 minutes ago · Like · 3 John Fitzpatrick Derek I am very disappointed that you chose to comment in this issue in such a public manner. I would like to point out that as a very well paid public servant you should have a respect for citizens dignity. Your attempt to rebuff a young person for not accepting that you are doing enough to help her extremely ill mother is most condescending to say the least. It definitely lacks any humility on your behalf, and also smacks of a complete indifference to the plight of many people in Ireland that can not access the public health services. You constanly refer to your “constituent” as though you are trying to preserve your “constituents” identity, when in fact the dogs on the street know that you are referring to Jennifer Banks, so although you did not use her name it is quite clear who you are referring to. Jennifer Banks has been attempting to highlight the plight of MS sufferers for weeks now, and has resorted to all and any social media she can access, and has been on a number of broadcast media (local and National) in her quest. While I accept that you may have been trying to get some assistance for her, you, as a TD for the constituency, should, have been aware of her and others plight (both in the constituency you represent, and also the position nationally), that's your job. To know what is going wrong and to use your position as a TD get it fixed. You may have been better to contact Jennifer Banks directly and asked her to work with you to highlight her difficulties, which would of course hopefully help to resolve the matter for her and everyone else. You say that you are a TD for only 19 months which implies that you are still learning the job. When you asked for the job, you did not say that you would be on a learning curve, in fact you said the opposite, i.e. You said you would very definitely represent your constituency the way the people wanted you to represent them. You say you are doing your best, well it seems your best is not good enough. And for over one hundred thousand euro per year plus expenses I did not expect to get an apprentice, that would require a long learning time. Your mantra about you being busy looking after the economy has been challenged on many occasions, with response of “at what cost” the answer being, the lives, welfare, and suffering of people. While saving and rescuing the economy is an admirable aspiration, the cost of that success is being borne by the ordinary people of Ireland, and Roisin Shortalls resignation clearly acknowledges that. I suspect that when it eventually dawns on many TDs, just, how much the public are suffering, we will hear many apologies of I,m sorry, I didn,t know, just like Charlie Haughey did in the 80s. Well by then it will be too late for many ordinary citizens of Ireland, and their families will have to live with the knowledge that their country did not help their loved ones when they needed it most. Your response to Keira Banks has done nothing but reinforce peoples opinion that all them politicians are only in it for themselves, and, does nothing but disgrace the many many many heroic efforts of ordinary unpaid volunteers in the political arena, as well as belittle those that work tirelessly unpaid in the background to try to improve our country for the good of all. Keira Banks facebook comment has achieved almost ten thousand likes, and almost 500 comments. They are the kind of figures that only the best known celebrities, with thousands of friends achieve, and is equivalent in Irish social media terms to twenty minutes of prime time television. Again I am very disappointed in the way you have dealt with this issue, and I suggest that you immediately make the most wholesome apology to the entire Banks family for your actions, in as public a manner that you can think of. 48 minutes ago · Like Derek Sasha Mr. Nolan, this case is being watched from overseas. People like me are observing what happens when the representatives of people in pain make ineffectual gestures and think that's enough. Mr, Nolan, you are in a job where empty words hurt real people and only real results count. This is a big lesson to us in the US who are thinking about who to vote for in the next Presidential election, just as it is for people in your constituency who are thinking about whether you are able to support a just society in which people in need get treated with compassion and dignity. 17 minutes ago · Like