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13/01/2005
Investigation calls into migrant amputee horror
East Londonderry UUP Assembly member Norman Hillis has called for a thorough investigation into how a 23-year-old migrant worker was left to sleep rough on the streets of Coleraine and subsequently require both legs to be amputated after suffering severe frostbite.
The former Mayor said he, like many other people, was totally shocked by the horrific revelation.
“No stone must be left unturned in trying to uncover how in the 21st century this poor woman was left with no-one to turn to,” Mr Hillis said.
“It is a heartbreaking incident which has touched so many people in the community and one which presents us with numerous questions.
Mr Hillis said he hoped that measures would be put in place so that such a tragedy could not ever occur again.
Sinn Féin South Belfast Alex Maskey has also called for a wide-ranging investigation into the incident.
The former Lord Mayor of Belfast said: “I think there needs to be a thorough and wide ranging investigation into how a healthy young migrant worker could find herself out of a job, out of a home and on the streets and subsequently so ill that both her legs had to be amputated.
“Clearly we need to ask questions of the Department of Employment and Learning that operates the work permit scheme and also about what services are in place to support migrant workers who find themselves thrown out of their employment.”
Currently being treated at Belfast's City Hospital, the woman reportedly lost her job in a meat processing plant just before Christmas and was left sleeping rough through a period of bitterly cold weather.
It is understood that she had lost contact with a group of Polish friends and spent over a week alone before being found and taken to the Causeway Hospital, where medical staff, shocked at her condition, arranged for a transfer to the City Hospital. Once there, surgeons were forced to amputate both her legs during emergency surgery.
It was reported that the firm for which she had been working had offered to fly her home.
(MB/SP)
The former Mayor said he, like many other people, was totally shocked by the horrific revelation.
“No stone must be left unturned in trying to uncover how in the 21st century this poor woman was left with no-one to turn to,” Mr Hillis said.
“It is a heartbreaking incident which has touched so many people in the community and one which presents us with numerous questions.
Mr Hillis said he hoped that measures would be put in place so that such a tragedy could not ever occur again.
Sinn Féin South Belfast Alex Maskey has also called for a wide-ranging investigation into the incident.
The former Lord Mayor of Belfast said: “I think there needs to be a thorough and wide ranging investigation into how a healthy young migrant worker could find herself out of a job, out of a home and on the streets and subsequently so ill that both her legs had to be amputated.
“Clearly we need to ask questions of the Department of Employment and Learning that operates the work permit scheme and also about what services are in place to support migrant workers who find themselves thrown out of their employment.”
Currently being treated at Belfast's City Hospital, the woman reportedly lost her job in a meat processing plant just before Christmas and was left sleeping rough through a period of bitterly cold weather.
It is understood that she had lost contact with a group of Polish friends and spent over a week alone before being found and taken to the Causeway Hospital, where medical staff, shocked at her condition, arranged for a transfer to the City Hospital. Once there, surgeons were forced to amputate both her legs during emergency surgery.
It was reported that the firm for which she had been working had offered to fly her home.
(MB/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Staying cold. Any freezing fog that has formed overnight will slowly thin and disperse during the morning. Otherwise dry and bright much of the day with perhaps the odd coastal shower in the north and east. Maximum temperature 4 °C.Tonight:Dry at first with cloud thickening from the south through the evening. The odd shower, wintry over high ground, over northern counties, becoming more persistent rain over Down and Antrim. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
