Minister Mansergh Must Support South Tipperary General Hospital

tipperary | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Tuesday September 28, 2010 18:18 by Cllr Seamus Healy cllrseamus.healy at southtippcoco dot ie 087-2802199

Cllr. Seamus Healy, Chairperson Save Our Acute Hospital Services Committee, has called on Minister Martin Mansergh T.D. to publicly support South Tipperary General Hospital and to publicly call on the Minister for Health and the Health Service Executive to stop the so-called reconfiguration process.

Minister Mansergah’s Fianna Fáil colleague, Wexford Minister Sean Connick T.D. has already publicly called, on Monday’s Morning Ireland programme, for the reconfiguration of Wexford General Hospital to be parked.

Cllr. Healy’s statement comes in the wake of new and very serious proposals by the Health Service Executive to strip South Tipperary General Hospital of all its acute services. The document seen by Cllr. Healy provides for the closure of our 24-hour accident and emergency department and the transfer to Kilkenny of major surgery, maternity, gynaecology, paediatrics and acute psychiatric services.

There is no provision for consultation.

The document is heavily weighted in favour of Kilkenny and is co-authored by Programme Team Lead Dr. Gary Courtney, Consultant Physician at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. There are a number of other Kilkenny based members of the team but no representatives from South Tipperary or South Tipperary General Hospital.

In these circumstances, of extreme danger to South Tipperary’s acute hospital services, Minister Mansergh must now nail his colours to the mast.

The Save our Acute Hospital Services Committee has been preparing for this type of development. A Car Sticker campaign has been launched earlier this month and 15,000 stickers have been printed and are available at the Save Our Acute Hospital Services office in Clonmel, South Tipperary General Hospital and other outlets.

Meetings have been arranged with the leaders of the opposition parties, Enda Kenny T.D. Fine Gael, Eamonn Gilmore T.D. The Labour Party and Caoimhín O Caoláin T.D. Sinn Féin. These meetings will take place on 13th October.

The Committee has also prepared for a legal challenge appointing Solicitors and Counsel and pleadings are in place.

The people of South Tipperary have shown their resolve by a huge protest march and a 70,000 signature petition. People Power can and will stop this disgraceful attempt to destroy our Hospital Services.

Statement by Cllr Seamus Healy,
Chairperson Save our Acute Hospital Services Committee,
Mobile 087-2802199
cllrseamus.healy@southtippcoco.ie