This article is from page 6 of the 2006-04-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has given an undertaking that the voice of Ennis General Hospital Development Committee will be considered in a major review of acute hospital services.
But Clare Fine Gael TD, Pat Breen, has called on Ms Harney to “come clean and admit” that their assurances on the future of accident and emergency services at the Ennis hospital did not stand up.
Ms Harney promised to listen to the development committee, in a response to a Dáil question.
“Concerns raised by individuals and groups, particularly in relation to the smaller hospitals, and the work already undertaken by groups such as the Ennis General Hospital Development Committee, the Independent Reconfiguration Panel in the United Kingdom and the Nenagh General Hospital Action Group, will be taken into account as a key component of the review process.”
She said consultants currently undertaking a review of acute hospital services would make recommendations, “on the options for reconfiguring and redesigning services and, in particular, to identify the elements of healthcare that can be most effectively delivered at each site and set out what needs to be done to achieve this objective.”
But Deputy Breen claimed that the Tánaiste’s assurances put previous assurances “in a new light”.
“The future of such services will remain in doubt right up to the general election and, even then, the Government might hide behind its flawed mantra that management and delivery of health services rest with the HSE,” Deputy Breen said.
“This is an intolerable situation. We have had half assurances followed by fudge followed by silence, followed by withdrawals of statements. I have continually called for a clear statement from Minister Harney on this issue by way of Parliamentary Question and by letter, and every time the nub of the issue is ignored.
“However, it is clear now that the jury is out on the future of A&E services pending the outcome of the review of acute services. If the review goes against Ennis General, then the best the people of Clare can hope for is that they may be thrown the bone of guaranteed A&E services as a pre-election promise. This is a scandalous way to govern in a modern democracy.”