MEP ALAN KELLY COLLECTS SIGNATURES SUPPORTING CLONMEL HOSPITAL

Issued : Monday 15 March, 2010
Areas : Munster, Tipperary

Munster MEP Alan Kelly has branded the proposed threat to services at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel as “completely unacceptable under any circumstances”.

 

The Labour MEP has started collecting signatures outside his offices supporting the protection of services at the hospital and is hoping to have hundreds of signatures ahead of the march on the 27th of this month.

 

 

"It is hard to believe that the HSE are following the same hair-brained policies as they did for Nenagh hospital. They only want one serious hospital per region.

 

Their long-term plans is for no serious hospital service for the people of Tipperary and we cannot let that stand," stated Kelly.

 

"I was heavily involved in the campaign to try to protect Nenagh hospital but the HSE juggernaut just drove straight over us. We cannot allow that to happen in Clonmel. Bigger hospitals do not always mean better and the sense of community that is generated from a local hospital is huge. The number crunchers in the HSE never take this into account," slammed Kelly.

 

He is encouraging the people of South Tipperary and beyond to sign the petition so that a clear democratic signal can be communicated to the HSE.

 

Kelly said “Following the cutbacks in Nenagh we cannot afford to lose further services in Tipperary. The prospect of Tipperary losing all mental health services would be a devastating blow for the county.

 

I have seen first hand the severe and damaging impact as a result of the cutbacks at Nenagh Hospital. People are being forced to travel out of the county just to access basic hospital facilities. Health services already operating above maximum capacity and further cutbacks will only serve to worsen the situation.

 

I have brought the petition to Nenagh to get as many people as possible to sign and show our support for hospital services in Clonmel. I will be supporting the march on Saturday week and I want everyone to come along on the day and make their voice heard.”

 

Kelly added, “The HSE are simply ignoring the wishes of the public and by signing the petition, people of Tipperary can show they will not allow this to continue.

 

By operating without consultation with the key stakeholders of South Tipperary General Hospital, the HSE are attempting to remove all critical services from the local community in Tipperary.

 

This complete lack of strategy and planning will have long term consequences for the county if we don’t act now.”