All About Cork: TD raises lack of Mayfield therapy staff with Taoiseach

Cork North Central TD Ken O’Flynn raised the issue of occupational therapy staff in Mayfield in the Dáil last week with Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Mr O’Flynn said that the Mayfield primary care occupational therapy team is supposed to have three full-time occupational therapists, and “this is already insufficient for the number of children who need special attention.”

He explained: “I have been made aware that there is only one part-time therapist working on the team at this time.

“The current set-up is: one therapist is on maternity leave and her work is not being covered; the second left and has not been replaced; and, as stated, the third only works part time.

“I have also been made aware that the position in the centre when it comes to physiotherapy is exactly the same. It is hard enough to fight for one’s child.

“In this instance, parents are fighting on behalf of children with autism spectrum disorder.

“It is a kick in the teeth when the services that are meant to be provided are not there. 

"What is the Government going to do to resolve this issue, which is having an impact across the nation?”

Mr Martin said: “Fundamentally, it is about recruitment and retention. One person is on maternity leave — I will check with the HSE about that because there should be a locum operating in that role — and another has left.

“The recruitment and retention of therapists has been a real issue for the HSE. There have been additional resources provided. Progress is slow.

“Approximately 272 extra whole-time equivalent staff were recruited last year. A further 111 are expected to join soon. The national vacancy rate dropped from 29% to 21% in 2024.”

He added: “How that manifests in the case of Mayfield is a different matter. I will try to ascertain the position in that regard. The deputy’s point is well made. We are alert to the need to recruit and to retain staff.”

Impressive medal haul for Mayfield BC’s Donna

Young performers in spotlight

A group of young performers from Mayfield took part in a free concert in Dance Cork Firkin Crane, part of Cork City Council’s Creative Communities focused project.

More than 250 people attended the performance of Roam at Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

Mayfield Arts Centre and a Mayfield group from Music Generation Cork City worked alongside other acts including The Kabin Studio and the Scottish community orchestra, Tinderbox Collective.

The Roam project is a Sláintecare Healthy Communities-focused project that aims to empower younger and older individuals to rediscover the magic of their community and reconnect post-covid.

Tanya O’Sullivan, Sláintecare Healthy Communities, development officer, explained: “This programme is aimed at supporting people living in Sláintecare Healthy Communities, who may have experienced loss and grief because of the pandemic”.

The free concert signalled the beginning of the delivery phase, following workshops which provided an opportunity to encourage community unity and showcase local talent.

The programme is funded through national government, Creative Ireland for Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community.

Library hosts Open Reads

Mayfield Library recently hosted “Open Reads for Ireland Reads”, inviting the public to come to the library to share personal favourite works.

The event had 15 participants, with some reading a piece of their own work and others choosing to select something from a favourite author.

Executive Librarian Richard Forrest told The Echo: “Among readers’ own endeavours were a mother’s speech on the occasion of her daughter’s wedding, a poem inspired by the fairies library at Mayfield Library and the trepidation felt on entering boarding school at Kinsale when aged 12.

“Personal favourites included a piece by Nell McCafferty written when living in Cork, poets from Palestine, and a humorous piece by Monica Dickens.

“Readers were limited to five minutes, including a sentence or two on what their choice meant to them, but discipline was such that never once did the time bell have to be rung!”

GoFundMe for Mayfield boy

Marzena Bogusz is hoping to raise €25,000 for her six-year-old son, Alan, a pupil of Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin and a member of Brian Dillon’s GAA.

Marzena said: “In January, initially, he was diagnosed with HSP (Henoch-schönlein purpura). After 13 days of high fever in February, a blood test showed that all type of blood-cell count dropped to a life-threatening low level.

“A couple of days later, in Crumlin Children’s hospital in Dublin, he was diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia, which means that his bone marrow doesn’t produce any stem cells. A Hickman line was inserted in his chest and, at the moment, blood transfusion keeps him alive.”

Marzena’s partner has had to leave his job to be a full-time carer for Alan, and the first choice of treatment is a bone marrow transplant, “and his brave, 10-year-old brother, Milan, is currently checking if he could be a matching donor”.

However, the bone-marrow transplant is not available in Ireland, so he would have to get the treatment in a UK paediatric transplant centre. The treatment would take a minimum of three months, so the family will likely need to move to the UK. The treatment is covered by the HSE, but there are many other costs, including travel, accommodation, and loss of earnings.

Ms Bogusz said: “Your support — whether through prayer, positive thoughts, share of this fundraiser or financial contribution — means the world to us.”

Brian Dillon’s GAA club shared the fundraiser, asking for support: “We at Brian Dillon’s are one big family and we rally around our family when they are in need of help.

“Young Alan is a member of our juvenile academy and needs help raising funds to help with treatment for aplastic anaemia. If you are in a position to donate please do.”

Help Alan to fight Aplastic Anaemia can be found at https://shorturl.at/IEnKi.

Zumba class

A new zumba class with instructor AshieC started last week in Mayfield Arts Centre, Newbury House, Old Youghal Rd, Mayfield.

Zumba is a fun fitness programme that involves cardio and dance. The class will run every Thursday evening at 7pm, and the course is €50 for a six-week block or €10 per session.

To book a place, contact 086-3797971.

Mayfield CDP courses

Several new courses are beginning at Mayfield CDP this month. A ‘Smart Phone/Computer Tablet Made Easy’ course starts Tuesday, March 11, at 12.15pm to 1.45pm, and will run for three sessions, while ‘Mindfulness Techniques’ will run Thursdays from March 13 for four sessions, 10am to 12.30pm.

Two ‘Easter Flower Arranging’ workshops will run on Monday, March 31, and Monday, April 7, 10.30am to 1pm.

All courses are run in the Mayfield CDP Community Resource Centre, 328 Old Youghal Rd, and are funded by the Cork Education & Training Board. To book a place, contact Mayfield CALP on 4508562 or email mayfieldcalp1@outlook.com.