A&E Protests Planned for Navan, Drogheda, Limerick, Cavan, Ennis and Mullingar on Monday as A&E Crisis Worsens.- Tóibín

Hospital Groups around the country are organizing a protests at under pressure A&Es in Navan, Drogheda, Limerick, Cavan, Ennis and Mullingar on Monday as the pressure on A&Es worsens. Speaking in advance of the protest Meath West TD and Save Navan Hospital Campaign Chair Peadar Tóibín stated;

"People have had enough of the unmitigated disaster unfolding in A&Es across the country. Its costing lives. Last night sick children were forced to sleep in cars in the car park of Drogheda Pediatric A&E due to the lack of space in that A&E. Six nights ago 11 ambulances waited 5 hours just to offload sick patients into a full adult A&E in the same hospital. There were no ambulances available in Cavan and Monaghan for an extended period of time because so many ambulances were tied up in Drogheda. 17 Consultants in Drogheda and 4 in Mullingar have written to the Minister for Health to warn him of the impending threat to life and health if the bypass and closure of Navan A&E proceeds. And Limerick University Hospital remains a war zone due to the closure of Nenagh and Ennis. We have record A&E waiting times and trolley counts".

"The way the Government and the HSE are managing this health crisis is a disaster and its getting worse. People are furious as the old and infirm and being left for hours with out treatment. People are furious at the dangerous position staff are being put in. We are urging citizens to join these protests at 1pm on Monday. People are furious at the fact that HSE senior management are ignoring the Minister for Health. In relation to Navan Hospital the HSE gave the 30th of June as the closure date for Navan A&E. A publicly embarrassed Minister had to cancel that plan. They then gave a date for ambulance bypass of Navan saying they had Ministerial authority. It turns out they did not. They were directed to implement a slimmed down ambulance bypass and duly ignored this too, issuing the original protocol to ambulance staff yesterday contradicting the Minsters directions".

"In a democracy the public servants do what they are told to do by the elected representatives. The HSE are inverting the democratic process. It is critical that the Minister gets a grip of the situation. Its critical that we stop closing A&E capacity in an A&E capacity crisis and starting investing in front line services now before its too late for many people."

CRIOCH

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.