Protest held at Sligo University Hospital to highlight overcrowding

Demonstrations, highlighting hospital overcrowding and the national hospital crisis took place at 18 locations around the country last Saturday including outside Sligo University Hospital [SUH].

The protests and demonstrations were organised by various hospital campaign groups under the umbrella of the National Hospital Campaign [NHC].

Numbers at the different venues varied, from tens of thousands in Limerick, to thousands in Navan, to hundreds in Letterkenny to small numbers at other hospital gates.

The particular demonstration outside Sligo University Hospital, was organized and coordinated by Ciarán Tracey of Cumann Aontú Liatroma, who is also Deputy Chairperson of the Aontú party.

All 18 County Councillors from Leitrim and all 18 County Councillors from Sligo, along with our 4 Constituency TDs, were invited to attend.

In a statement released by Mr. Tracey after the event, he stated: “I would like to thank the four public representatives who did attend, and wish to acknowledge the apology received from Marc MacSharry, TD”.

He continued, “I wish to thank most sincerely all of those who made the time to take a stand on the Hospital Crisis outside of SUH last Saturday and assure you that the NHC will continue to fight for better health services for all.

“I would particularly like to thank those who travelled from the different parts of County Leitrim - Rooskey, Cloone, Fenagh, Aughavas, Carrick-on-Shannon and Leitrim Village, to mention but a few of the furthest distances travelled”.

After an opening speech, setting out the nature of the crisis and possible actions, he introduced Cllr. Thomas Walsh, FG, Drumcliffe EA Sligo, who made a valuable contribution to the proceedings by advising that he has regularly campaigned for improvements to the services in Sligo and will continue to do so.

Shortage of GPs and Step Down services
He referenced the serious delays in delivering a new, much needed medical unit. Following this Ms. Marian Harkin, Independent TD, was introduced. The former MEP and current TD spoke with knowledge and passion about the difficulties facing our Health Services in this region, ranging from the shortage of GPs, to step down services.

The final speaker, Cllr. Brendan Barry, SF, Ballinamore EA Leitrim, conveyed his family’s difficulties in accessing much needed services for a family member, and his embarrassment, as an elected representative, when he himself was a patient, like many, on a trolley awaiting a bed.

All four speakers were fulsome in their praise of the medical staff at SUH, as they carried out their important and life-saving work in very difficult, indeed, unacceptable, working conditions. Also, in attendance was Cllr. Thomas Healy SF, also representing Drumcliffe EA Sligo.

Mr. Tracey concluded by thanking the local media: Media presenter, Niall Delaney from Ocean FM interviewed the event’s chair and keynote speaker, Aontú’s Deputy Chairperson, Ciarán Tracey, while both the Leitrim Observer and the Roscommon People had reporters and photographers present, to cover the event.