Tipperary TD shares anger of clergy and parishioners in hospital priests visit controversy

Independent TD Mattie McGrath said families, in particular those of an older generation, will be angry and saddened by the implementation of an HSE directive that  greatly limits  priests and their ability to visit patients in hospitals.

The South Tipperary TD was reacting to a HSE and management decision at South Tipperary General Hospital to no longer provide priests and clergy with a list of parishioners who are in-patients in the hospital because of compliance  with the EU General Date Protection  Regulation (GDPR).

 Clergy members will still be able   to attend the hospital  to visit patients but now have to be asked by the family or the patient themselves to visit them.

Deputy Mattie McGrath he  shared the sense of exasperation being experienced by clergy and parishioners.
"In my opinion this is a classic example of the inability of bureaucratic structures to achieve a respectful and common sense balance of rights.
Of course privacy needs to be respected, but so does the integrity and selfless commitment of clergy acting in their capacity as chaplains.
Clergy and religious are de facto members of staff even if they are not directly employed by the HSE. That needs to be taken into account especially where decades long experience and familiarity has been built up.
I think most families, particularly those of an older generation will be angry and saddened at this decision. It may be in accordance with letter of the (GDPR) but it is most certainly not in accordance with the spirit of it. A discretionary perspective needs to be applied here as a matter of urgency."