Minister Roderic O’Gorman welcomes decision to grant St Francis Hospice ‘Section 38 status’

Cllr Pamela Conroy, Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Fintan Fagan CEO, Dr. Regina McQuillan Medical Director and Breda Hawkshaw Head of Finance.

Today, the Government approved proposals from the Department of Health to bring four voluntary hospices, including St Francis Hospice Dublin, under the financial control of the State.

When I visited St Francis Hospice in September, I was privileged to meet with patients and hear directly from them about their lives, and also the high quality of care and support provided by Hospice staff to them and their families.

The Hospice day centre in Blanchardstown is an excellent facility, with a team of dedicated professionals and volunteers who are strongly committed to providing the best quality care to their patients, and who place such a strong emphasis on human dignity in the provision of their care. They are providing an essential public service to families in our area, and I very much welcome the Government decision to ensure the Hospice is granted Section 38 status, which will place it on a more stable and sustainable financial footing into the future.