A SIGN urging people not to have an accident over the next 125km greeted motorists approaching Tarmonbarry in Co Roscommon yesterday, where about 300 protesters gathered on the bridge over the river Shannon.
Waving Roscommon flags and placards, the protesters were calling on the Government to keep the emergency department at Roscommon open. The protest was mirrored by similar demonstrations in Athlone, Lanesborough and Rooskey. Demonstrators said there will be no emergency unit for up to 125km if the one in Roscommon County Hospital is closed.
Roscommon Hospital Action Committee chairman John McDermott warned of further protests to come. “This is only the start, and the politicians in particular better believe that – it is only the start. It is getting to the stage where people are very, very angry.
“Not alone are they taking away a service but they actually promised, each one before the election, that they would retain it. So here’s a promise that lasted over 100 days – now they are saying they didn’t know about it.”
Mr McDermott said there had been talk of escalating yesterday’s action. “I had at least five offers this morning alone, from lorry drivers and farmers who wanted to bring lorries onto the bridge or farmers just bringing big silage bails and just dropping them on the bridge,” he explained.
Pat McHugh from Slatta in Co Roscommon said the facilities at Roscommon were “excellent”. “It’s appalling,” he said, “and by a west of Ireland Taoiseach who we had faith in.”
He said his father had managed to survive three heart attacks in the past 30 years thanks to Roscommon hospital.
Minister for Health James Reilly's performance on RTÉ's Prime Timewas "appalling", he added.
Tarmonbarry native Kathleen Grearty said the planned closure was “scandalous”.
“I have to admire Denis Naughten for his stand. I think the Government are rotten and I think James Reilly is just playing to the HSE,” she said.
The protests are going to continue, according to Jimmy Morris from Roscommon. “We are definitely going to see a lot more. We have been protesting for this hospital for 35 years, we are not going to stop now.”
Mr Morris was highly critical of Frank Feighan, who he said had promised the people “the lights would never go out at Roscommon Hospital while he was a TD”.
Another Roscommon man, John Dwyer, recalled bringing two heart-attack victims to Roscommon Hospital. “Where would you go if we hadn’t got the hospital?” he asked.