Cllr. Orla Leyden has called on the CEO of the Irish Wheelchair Association, Rosemary Keogh, to step down due to her handling of the Cuisle Holiday Centre closure and in particular her lack of engagement with IWA members.
She also called on Health Minister Simon Harris and Minister for State Finian McGrath to intervene in order to save the centre.
Cllr. Leyden spoke to the Roscommon People following a meeting between local ‘Save Cuisle’ campaigners and members of the Dáil Health Committee at Wednesday’s protest in Dublin.
“Rosemary Keogh has done enormous damage to her organisation and caused immense stress among its members and staff. Personally, I think she should stand down. I’m disgusted with the way she has handled this, particularly the lack of consultation with members and staff, and the decisions she has taken without a mandate.
“Questions also need to be asked whether the decision to close Cuisle is coming from Government or coming from the IWA and whether she is just doing the Government’s dirty work,” Cllr. Leyden said.
The Fianna Fáil councillor said Wednesday’s announcement that the IWA would be called in front of the Dáil Health Committee was a “huge boost in the fight to save Cuisle”.
“It feels like it’s turning the right way finally, significant progress has certainly been made and there was massive support from a large number of Oireachtas members at the protest”.
Cllr. Leyden also met with members of the health committee at Wednesday’s ‘Save Cuisle’ protest at Dáil Éireann.
“Deputy Eugene Murphy convened the meeting which was attended by some members of the Dáil Health Committee including its chair Dr. Michael Harty TD, Senator Keith Swanick and Deputy Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, as well as Senator Terry Leyden and Cuisle campaigners Noel Brennan, Sean O’Kelly, Erika and Sandra Boucher and Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council Paschal Fitzmaurice and myself.
“Chairperson of the Dáil Health Committee, Dr. Michael Harty, confirmed that it was committee’s intention to call Rosemary Keogh, as CEO of the Irish Wheelchair Association in front of the committee in the next two weeks,” she said.
