REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NEW DAY CARE CENTRE & CENTRE
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NEW DAY CARE CENTRE & CENTRE FOR CONTINUING STUDIES
Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh. Ar dtús ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl daoibh as an gcuireadh, agus as fáilte a bhí caoin, cneasta agus croiúil.
I am very happy to be back here at St. Francis Hospice amongst so many friends and to have been invited today to officially open your new Day Care Centre & Centre for Continuing Studies. My thanks to you all for your very warm welcome and in particular to Ethel McKenna for inviting me to be with you today on another special day in the history of St. Francis’.
Last year I was reminded once again of the huge importance of what you do here and the wonderfully caring and respectful way you do it. Not that any of us need reminding of it. But late last year a member of the staff at the Áras, a good friend to us all, passed away. I visited him at home during his illness and was struck by his strength, his composure and his lack of fear at what he was facing. But what also struck me was how much the home team from St. Francis had done for him – they were always near at hand to bring comfort and relief to him, to allow him the dignity his illness sought to deprive him of, to allow him to be with his loved ones to the end. He was so, so very appreciative of what the wonderful people here at St. Francis Hospice did for him – “help” he said to me “is only a phone call away when I need it”. His words say it all. His words were not lightly spoken. He knew as we know that at St. Francis Hospice a remarkable team of professionals, carers, volunteers are there to help day in day out. For that we thank you, I thank you on behalf of all those people you have helped, brought comfort to in the years since this Hospice was established some thirteen years ago in 1989.
Remarkably and to your great credit, today this Hospice incorporates a Home Care Service, In-Patient Unit, Counselling and Bereavement Services, providing support and care to almost two thousand patients and their families. I remember that when I met with you in 1999 to mark your 10th anniversary that number was six hundred. That’s more than three times the number of patients and their families in as many years and goes to show just how necessary, how vitally essential the services you provide are to the people of Dublin. It also goes to show just how adaptable you are, how you rise to meet the challenge no matter how difficult, how you demonstrate again and again that you can and will respond to the changing needs of the community of North Dublin.
With the new Day Care Centre, Bereavement Facilities and Education Centre will come even better services for the people you already serve so well. I know that these services could not be provided without the support and generosity of the people of this city and county and many others and that generosity and commitment to St. Francis reflects the huge respect and regard with which the Hospice and staff are held by people far and near. To everyone involved here – staff, the many volunteers who give their time and energy and commitment and caring and compassion – to each and every one of you I commend you and say well done for what you do for others and for the way that you do it. This community and this city is a better place because of what you do here.
It only remains for me to congratulate everyone associated with this new development, to wish you well with your work in the future and to declare your Day Care Centre & Centre for Continuing Studies officially open.
Is iontach an obair atá ar siúl agaibh anseo. Guim rath agus séan oraibh sa todhchaí. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.