Gleeson said he had reason to call Cork's Micheál Martin a ‘moron’
Actor Brendan Gleeson is supporting ‘Buy a Brick’ — a major fundraising effort for a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at St Francis Hospice, Dublin, where both his parents received care.
Brendan Gleeson has said he had a reason to call Micheál Martin a “moron” almost 20 years ago, but the actor added he now prefers a more constructive approach.
The Hollywood star said it was the way he “really felt at the time” after witnessing “unacceptable” treatment at a hospital.
Gleeson, who is now supporting a major fundraising effort for a hospice in north Dublin, said profit incentives in care for older people are “counterproductive”.
On the in 2006, he criticised the state of the Irish health service and, in particular, his experiences with loved ones at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin had opened a unit at the hospital during his time as minister for health.
During the 2006 interview, Gleeson said: “There were people trying to fight for life and cling on to hope beside people who were dead and this moron’s name was on a plaque saying the oncology suite was opened by Micheál Martin, when he screwed the place from the time he went in until the time he left.”
Asked about the comments last week, Gleeson said it was the way he “really felt at the time” and that he was “raging” with Mr Martin.
Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “In fairness to Micheál Martin, I was raging with him because his name was on a plaque in a new unit and they were running coffins down the bottom of my mother-in-law’s bed where she was dying – the systems were catastrophic.”
The Oscar-nominated star said he was “glad” he highlighted the problems but now thinks a constructive and compassionate approach is more appropriate.
“The vociferous nature of it was fine, but I did find afterwards it became a thing then where everybody is screaming, shouting and enraged and all this kind of stuff,” he said.
Gleeson says he now has a glass-half-full approach, describing “reactionary outragers” as “boring”.
A source of that optimistic outlook is found at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, where the actor says staff and volunteers treat people with compassion.
Gleeson is supporting a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at the centre, where both his parents received care.
The 70-year-old said the single-bed units at the hospice will be beneficial for families as he recalled it sometimes being difficult to speak to his father when he was passing away in the four-bed units.
Reflecting on the tone of public debate, he said it is very difficult for people to maintain positivity in the world now because they are “bombarded” with relentless bad news.
“The despair is beginning to become pervasive,” he said, adding:
Gleeson said that over the years, Mr Martin had “learned from mistakes” and taken stances which he considered to be “quite brave”.
He said certain things have improved in the intervening 19 years but remained critical of the “ideological issue” of running aspects of care through the private sector.
He said: “We’re spending a fortune in this country on healthcare – but the systems are terrible.”
Gleeson said he did not necessarily agree with an entirely state-run service either as it can lead to a lack of dynamism.
He said: “But I don’t think that driving things for profit solves problems of compassion.”
He added:
“I’ve had it with moaning about it and absolutely screaming about things.”
Last year, St Francis' Hospice cared for 2,313 patients at its two facilities in Blanchardstown and Raheny – almost double that of a decade earlier.
Construction at the new site is due to begin next year and will also include an underground car park and clinical support facilities, with a pedestrian bridge linking it to the existing building.
Those who wish to contribute can visit sfh.ie/buy-a-brick or contact the fundraising department at 01-8327535.
App?
