Urgent action needed before a preventable tragedy occurs.
CAPE Clear Island is facing a prolonged healthcare crisis and urgently needs full-time public health nursing cover before a preventable tragedy occurs.
A submission by the island community to the HSE and the Department of Health claims that despite the dedication and professionalism of the island’s part-time nurse, access to basic healthcare has become increasingly unreliable over the past decade.
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During the height of the summer season in July the island had no nurse present there.
Niamh Ní Dhrisceoil, an islander and spokesperson for the community’s healthcare campaign, told the Southern Star: “Urgent action is needed before a preventable tragedy occurs.”
She said the community’s own case document was compiled using the nurse’s official duty rota covering January 2025 to August 2026. It shows that Cape Clear had no full nursing cover on 51.3% of days over that 20-month period.
During a ten-day window in August 2026 — when the nurse was on the island for only five of the month’s 31 days — the community recorded five medical evacuations, including one airlift.
This happened during the island’s busiest period, at a time when more than 14,000 ferry visitors arrived on the island – a figure that excludes residents and private boat users.
That ferry journey to the island is 12km and takes 50 minutes from Baltimore.
What that means for the island’s aging population is that many residents now face a ten-hour round trip to the mainland for assessments and basic treatments that were previously available on the island.
Meanwhile, over the monitored 18-month period, the community recorded three sudden deaths on the island, on each occasion with no nurse present.
There have been 15 medical evacuations from the island since January 2026 – and no nurse was present on most of those occasions.
The case document highlights that the nurse currently assigned to Cape Clear is not employed under a Public Health Nurse (PHN) contract, meaning routine home visits, bloods and structured care for older residents living alone are not part of her current role.
For about five years, the islanders said that Cape Clear has been without any meaningful Home Help or Home Support presence and they want to see this service restored.
“The community is not seeking exceptional treatment,” said the spokesperson.
“It is seeking consistent full-time Public Health Nurse cover, reliable contingency arrangements and regular doctor visits. Cape Clear deserves the same access to basic healthcare as all other communities.”
The submission was raised with the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, by South MEP Billy Kelleher.
The islanders said that their case document sets out a series of practical, low-cost solutions, which includes a guaranteed relief panel to prevent gaps during leave or illness, a dedicated island retention allowance, and an examination of a targeted tax incentive for resident island nurses, modelled on Ireland’s existing Artists’ Exemption.
“We love this island, and we are not prepared to watch it become unliveable by default,” said Niamh.
“This isn’t about placing blame — our nurse is a dedicated and valued part of this community. It’s about the HSE giving her, and us, the support and staffing this island actually needs. Every day without proper cover is a day we’re relying on luck rather than a functioning health service.”
The MEP’s intervention comes amid significant efforts by Comharchumann Chléire Teo and the wider community to attract new families to Cape Clear and ensure the island’s long-term viability.
Niamh said: “Considerable work is being undertaken to make the island a sustainable and attractive place to live, particularly for families looking to establish a long-term home. However, such efforts will ultimately be undermined if families feel that it is unsafe to live on the island due to the absence of reliable access to essential healthcare and nursing cover.”
