Roscommon hospital dispute escalates

THE CAMPAIGN to prevent the shutdown of emergency services at Roscommon County Hospital is set to escalate following Saturday’s Hands Around Our Hospital protest which was attended by more than 8,000 people.

John McDermott, chairman of the Roscommon Hospital Action Committee (HAC) which organised the rally,  said the committee would, “if necessary”, run a candidate in the next general election in order to save the hospital.

The mayor of Roscommon, Cllr Luke (Ming) Flanagan, who addressed the protest  and who has already declared his intention to run  for the Dáil,  said he believed 20,000 people would take to the streets of Roscommon if a further rally was held in the coming months. “Saturday was fantastic because if, say, 3,000 or even 4,000 people had turned out, Fianna Fáil would say, ‘look it, we can ride this out.’’

The turnout had energised local campaigners  and it would now be feasible to bring 20,000 on to the streets “to send a shudder down the spines of Fianna Fáil”.

Mr Flanagan said as a GAA supporter he believed that if nearly 20,000  Roscommon people   had gone to the All-Ireland quarter final to watch “a bag of wind being kicked around a field” there would be no problem getting the same number to show solidarity with the hospital.

He and the HAC insisted yesterday that it would be feasible to have two Independent candidates elected in the constituency given the level of anger.

Mr McDermott said “I think we might actually help each other” by bringing out people who would not otherwise vote.

He stressed that his committee would monitor the Government’s response to the campaign before deciding whether to run.

The HAC has dismissed as “spin” assurances by the HSE and Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran, who represents the constituency, that the hospital would not close – as recommended in a recent consultants’ report.

Mr McDermott said he believed the building would remain open but if the emergency department  and the coronary care and stroke units were closed, it would be no more than  “a glorified nursing home”.

Mr Flanagan said that in a meeting with local politicians on July 8th, John Hennessy, regional director of operations for HSE West,  had made it clear the emergency department would close and that highly trained paramedics would treat accident or stroke victims in an ambulance en route to Galway University  Hospital.

Unions and HSE West management have agreed to begin consultations at local level this week to explore “all options” in tackling a potential €91 million deficit.

In a recent statement the  HSE “categorically” insisted there were no plans  to close Roscommon County Hospital.

It said that in recent years HSE West had continued to develop services in the hospital, including a new diabetes and endocrinology service; respiratory service; and a proposed new rheumatology service. The hospital was planning to partake in the National Cancer Screening Service through a  new bowel cancer screening programme.