Hoctor welcomes Miners’ Medical Files Review by Ó Cuív

Deputy Máire Hoctor TD has this week, welcomed a commitment given by Éamon Ó Cuív TD, Minister for Social Protection that his Department to review medical files of miners badly affected by ill-health as a consequence of their working conditions in privately owned mining operations. The files are to be reviewed by an external medical professional.

'This commitment for a review comes as a consequence of strong lobbying on behalf of the national miners group, including our local miners group from Ballingarry, Thurles, ' claims Deputy Hoctor.

Deputy Máire Hoctor has attended all the Oireachtas meetings with the miners in Leinster House over the past two years and again this week with some members of the National Coalminers Group, the Minister and the Department’s Chief Medical Officer.

'The local miners, as we all know, have given very dedicated service to this country over many years, providing fuel for hospitals and industry, often working in difficult conditions which regretfully have impacted now on their health and quality of daily life.' adds Deputy Hoctor.

“I believe Minister Ó Cuiv is acutely sympathetic to the difficulties faced by our former miners including those who have served in the mines in Ballingarry. The Minister has now given a commitment that an external medical examiner will review miners’ files. In relation to additional income support for these miners, the Minister is exploring one of the Department’s current schemes - disablement benefit where the rates of payment depend on the degree of the person’s disability. 'says the local Fianna Fáil TD.

'I am pleased with this development by the Social Protection Minister and I welcome his commitment to review their medical files which I hope will lead to more income support for these men.”