Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson, Alan Chambers MLA, has condemned Sinn Fein MLA, Pat Sheehan, for his continued failure to apologise for his pathetic comments directed at hardworking Public Health Agency staff at a meeting of the Health Committee on 15th October. The Health Committee received a letter from the Department of Health prior to today`s meeting expressing the Health Minister`s concerns regarding the tenor of the engagement and its inappropriate nature.
Mr Chambers said:
“Pat Sheehan`s comments directed at hardworking Public Health Agency staff at the Health Committee briefing on the 15th October were despicable. It is not only Pat Sheehan's words recorded by Hansard that were disgraceful but also the aggressive tone used. He is engaged in the same cowardly attacks on health professionals as Sammy Wilson. That won`t be lost on people. Both he and Sammy Wilson should apologise for their comments and the tone of them.
“I challenged Pat Sheehan about his remarks at the time and asked other party representatives to join me in disassociating themselves from them. I`m pleased to see that the Health Minister isn`t afraid to stand up and defend health service staff from unwarranted personal attacks from members of Sinn Fein by writing to the Health Committee about the conduct of some of its members.
“To apply criticism directly to public health officials as Pat Sheehan did, and in the manner he did, is a serious breach of protocol and demonstrates contempt and disrespect.
“Pat Sheehan needs to realise that he is in a position that requires respect to be shown to people. A Stormont Committee is not a place for an elected member to be using cowardly, street corner tactics to get their way. That is not how a democratic forum works. Pat Sheehan keeps saying we need to move on but it is obvious that he is struggling to leave many aspects of his past behind.
“He exposed his hypocrisy when accusing others, who are working night and day, seven days a week to contain the spread of this virus, of failing in their duty. This is an MLA who is currently the subject of an investigation by the Assembly Commissioner for Standards after being reported by Stormont`s Health Committee regarding breaches of public health regulations and guidelines at the Bobby Storey funeral.
“He has never once condemned his party leadership for their part in organising the Bobby Storey funeral, the biggest single breach of the public health regulations and guidance that he and his party played a part in putting in place. Public confidence in the Assembly is not high and street corner conduct from a public representative does nothing to counter this public perception.
“To describe a track and trace system that used an innovative and ground breaking mobile phone app that was operative across the border with the RoI system, as being as useful as a "chocolate fireguard" is not only insulting and inaccurate but may have put many members of the public off signing up for the app. This is hardly the message that should be coming out of the Health Committee.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Pat Sheehan`s comments at the Health Committee on 15 October 2020:
“All of you in the room are very well paid. You were tasked to put in place a rigorous and robust contact-tracing system. You have failed abysmally. The contact tracing that is in place at the minute is as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Who among you in that room is going to raise your hand and say, "I'm responsible for this failure"?"