‘Woman moved to nursing home to be with husband’, Kildare County Council is told
The woman's decision was influenced by the lack of transport links between her own home and the nursing home
A woman moved to a nursing home located in The Curragh in order to be with her husband due to poor transport links.
That's according to Social Democrats councillor Chris Pender, who made the comments at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which was held on Wednesday, October 15 last.
He made the comments in relation to a motion which was submitted by Fine Gael Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer.
In her motion, Cllr O'Dwyer motioned for Kildare County Council (KCC) to "write to the National Transport Authority to ask if they could assess the provision for a Local Link service from The Curragh to Newbridge".
Cllr O'Dwyer's motion was seconded by her party colleague, Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer.
In response to her motion, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting: "The Transport, Mobility and Open Spaces Department has engaged with Local Link, who have advised that Transport for Ireland Local Link Kildare South Dublin are currently concluding a procurement process to provide a Connecting Ireland standard, seven days a week service from Kildare town Train Station to Newbridge Train Station via Suncroft."
KCC added that this Department “will provide a further update to the members when further information is available".
In turn, Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer asked KCC if the route mentioned in its report would go through The Curragh Camp.
CROSS-PARTY SUPPORT
The Mayor of the MD, Fianna Fáil Cllr Noel Heavey, also expressed support for Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer's motion.
Another local representative who supported the motion was Cllr Pender, who told KCC that the service "absolutely needs to be prioritised" for locals.
He also told KCC that he recalled a time he spoke to a woman in a nursing home in Suncroft, who moved up there "because she could not get a bus to see husband", who was in Suncroft.
KCC's Senior Executive Officer, Transport, Mobility and Open Spaces, Mark McLoughlin, was also present at the meeting and told Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer that he would get confirmation from Local Link regarding further details about the route.
Cllr Chris Pender (LEFT), who made the comments about the woman in the nursing home, and (RIGHT) Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, who submitted the original motion.