Paul Mullaly, daughter Chloe Mullallyy (deceased) and mother Angela Mullaly. Photo / Paul Mullally
Paul Mullaly, daughter Chloe Mullallyy (deceased) and mother Angela Mullaly. Photo / Paul Mullally
An Auckland builder says MIQ is cruel and inhumane after watching his mother in Ireland die on a video call early this morning.
Irish-born Paul Mullally was teary telling the story of an unresponsive system as he waited and waited to hear if he could return to Kilkenny, near Dublin in Ireland before his mother died of breast cancer.
"It's a farce of a system, it's inhumane," said the Irish-born New Zealand citizen.
Mullally said he ended up video calling his mother and telling her he loved her before she passed away at 22 minutes past four this morning.
"Just sitting there last night and looking at my dad. He is so broken and it's so hard. I have had time to see my own daughter die and know what it is like to lose a special person in your life."
Angela Mullally of Kerry in Ireland died of cancer at 22 minutes past four this morning. Photo / Paul Mullally
Mullally rang MIQ again this morning and explained the last opportunity he has to get home for his mother's funeral, saying the lady at MIQ was almost in tears herself but said there was nothing to do but email the special allocation department.
His mother Angela was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer last year, with a terminal prognosis and given four or five years to live.
Mullally said he was hoping the borders would open so he could go and see his mother, but around Christmas last month she started having good days and bad days with her cancer, which had spread to her liver and spine.
A doctor discovered her liver had failed and it was time to get home, said Mullally.
On January 21, Mullally, his wife Jo and 1-year-old daughter Kayla applied for emergency MIQ for when the family returned to New Zealand.
Angela Mullally with her now deceased granddaughter Chloe Mullally, who died of leukaemia in January 2020. Photo / Paul Mullally
Mullally says the MIQ portal still says his application is in progress, a travel agent was ringing and emailing MIQ every day but nothing came back.
"We have been waiting all week, hoping to get an email to say we would have a place to come back to because we've got a business, we just bought a house before Christmas with a mortgage to pay, we have got people to employ.
"I wasn't in a position to go away and hope to come back at some stage," said Mullally, who had flights booked on January 28 and cancelled them when MIQ did not come through.
He said if they had got the flights, his family would have got two hours with his mother before she died.
"We have got a 1-year-old daughter who mum had never met and was so keen to meet.
"The last time I have seen my mum in person was when my 2-year-old passed away," said Mullally, in tears and barely able to keep talking.
"My 2-year-old was diagnosed with leukaemia at 3 months old in 2017 and she passed away in January 2020. That was the last time I saw my mum. She came over for the funeral, so I never have seen her again.
"We had another daughter and she never got to meet her," said Mullally.
He said the Irish-born family are New Zealand citizens with New Zealand passports who have lived in New Zealand for 10 years.
"This is our home, our children were born here. We have done everything right. We have worked hard, but we are not allowed back into the country.
"Even if we had got a notification saying you are so far along the process, but there was just nothing. Nobody says anything. You ring every day and the travel agent was ringing and was so good working on it constantly and still can't get anything from anyone," said Mullally.
Paddy Mullally and Angela Mullally. Angela Mullally of Kerry in Ireland died of cancer today. Photo / Paul Mullally
The family now have 48 hours to find out if they can return to Ireland for the funeral and have a place in MIQ on their return.
"It's a bad system. It is not good. It's cruel, it's really cruel," Mullally said.
Head of MIQ Chris Bunny extended his condolences to the family.
Mullally's emergency allocation request was currently being assessed.
"Right now, MIQ is under pressure like never before and we are currently experiencing very high volumes of emergency allocation requests due to widespread travel disruption around the world."
From October 30, 2020, to January 23, 2022, MIQ processed 8863 completed applications and approved 5396 applications for emergency allocations.
"Places in managed isolation are often limited due to high demand. MIQ's emergency allocation process exists for limited situations which require urgent travel to New Zealand within the next 14 days. This is a last resort option with a very high threshold. It is important to note that people still need to complete their 10 days managed isolation."
There were currently 400 rooms per fortnight set aside for those who needed to travel urgently.
"We will review this number over time to ensure it is sufficient to accommodate travel which is genuinely urgent while not compromising the operational safety of our facilities."
