Dialysis strike: ‘I’m going to do it’

“It might be a bit extreme but it’s the only card I have.”

The words of devoted Cork father Padraig Feen who remains committed to undertaking a life-threatening dialysis strike outside An Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s Cork office.

Mr Feen, who has stage five renal failure and is on a kidney transplant list, is looking to secure his autistic son Ollie a school place having been refused 46 times since starting to apply.

Ollie was set to start school last year. However, a lack of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) classrooms on Leeside has left him and his family in limbo as to his educational future.

Mr Feen announced his plan to strike last week but is yet to receive a guarantee that his son will be given a primary school place.

“Like any other parent, you do whatever you can for your child and unfortunately, due to health issues, there’s not much I can do for my child, only this really. It’s the only card I can pull,” explained Ollie’s dad.

“Grace (Ollie’s mum) has done everything she can do. She’s been fantastic from all the admin side, chasing up and looking into stuff, researching – the whole lot. In terms of the school situation, she’s done everything. Unfortunately, this is all I can do really.

“I’ve given it a small bit of time but I’m going to do it,” he added referring to a strike.

Speaking to the Cork Independent yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Feen said undertaking dialysis strike is “still on the cards” as he and his family await news.

“We’re still awaiting any feedback from anyone,” he said.

“It’s the only thing I can do, and if it has to be done, it has to be done,” added Mr Feen.

On Friday, An Taoiseach Michael Martin reached out to Mr Feen over the phone and the family is now waiting for further engagement regarding their son’s future.

The Cork Independent reached out to the office of An Taoiseach Michael Martin but no response was received by time of going to print.