14 Hospital Campaigns to Protest against Hospital Overcrowding this Saturday

Cathaoirleach of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign Peadar Tóibín TD has announced that at least 14 hospital campaigns throughout the country will protest this Saturday the 21st of January against the overcrowding crisis. An Teachta Tóibín stated;

“This Saturday will see one of the most widespread mobilisations of citizens in this country in support of a functioning health service. Never have so many hospital campaigns mobilised in such numbers. 14 Campaign so far will mobilise. In some case thousands will turn out and in other cases it will be dozens. But the message will be clear. There is a deep anger and frustration amongst people at the constant chaos of our health service”.

“This crisis has not happened by accident. There is a capacity crisis in the A&E system in large part because the HSE has closed down 8 A&Es in 15 years at a time when the population of the state was growing. The HSE senior management is still wedded to that policy, as right now they seek to close Navan A&E. The HSE closed 6,000 hospital beds since 2008. There are 30% too few GPs in the state. There are 200 too few ICU beds in the state. Pay and conditions for staff are so bad that many are voting with their feet and leaving the HSE altogether. This downward spiral needs to be stopped now”.

“There are signs of change coming. For first time senior HSE consultants have admitted that the closure of certain A&Es was a mistake. In Drogheda 17 consultants wrote a letter to the Minister for Health warning against the closure of Navan A&E. 10 consultants in Mullingar Hospital wrote a letter outlining the same danger. Latest medical best practice is pushing back against the corrosive A&E and capacity closures of the past. This Winter’s chaos which is costing hundreds of lives needs to be a turning point in the development of a functioning health system in Ireland. We urge people to come out in numbers outside their local Hospital on Saturday to push home this point loud and clear so the Minister and the HSE cant but hear it”.

“So far, hospital campaigns have committed to mobilizing outside Navan Hospital, Limerick University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, Kerry University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Mayo General Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, Letterkenny University Hospital, Causeway Coast, Colraine, Monaghan Hospital, Cavan Hospital, Mullingar Hospital, Drogheda Hospital and Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. All protest will be outside the hospitals in question at 1pm, except in Limerick where a march will start at 11am at City Hall, Merchants Quay. Discussions are happening with other campaigns in Roscommon, Portlaoise, Bantry, and Daisy Hill in Newry”.

CRÍOCH

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.