Did a Donegal Government Minister and Government TDs know that a long awaited surgical hub for the North West may be located in Sligo as opposed to at Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal ?
Aontú’ s Mary T Sweeney, who is Chair of the Letterkenny Hospital Group said this lunchtime (2nd July) that she wants immediate transparency around the issue of who know what during the negotiations for the programme for Government.
“Letterkenny University Hospital, a cornerstone of healthcare in the north-west of Ireland, has been marginalised enough but this possible downgrade from its status as a model 3 hospital if no surgical hub is provided has truly caused shockwaves throughout the entire Northwest .
What is truly disquieting though is the thought that TDs from Donegal, who were elected to be the voice of the people of this county in the Dáíl may have been involved in key background negotiations around the formation of the new Government, and may have had advance knowledge that our much needed surgical hub that we had long hoped would be located at Letterkenny University Hospital could be downgraded in favour of Sligo General Hospital”.
If this is true it is shameful. It is beyond shameful. If Donegal Coalition TD’s knew of this, they should consider their position as true public representatives for the people of Donegal.
I want every single TD and Minister representing Donegal who was involved in the talks for the programme for Government to come out and publicly state what he or she knew”.
Controversy blew up around the possible downgrading of Letterkenny University Hospital following claims by Independent Sligo Minister for State Marian Harkin that a decision to put the surgical hub in Sligo as opposed to Donegal was part of her negotiations under the talks for the Programme for Government.
The Minister for Health has scotched any claims that the long-awaited surgical hub will be definitely located in Sligo.
