Cork City councillor calls on local TDs to support Sinn Féin Dáil motion

Cork City councillor calls on local TDs to support Sinn Féin Dáil motion

Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Nugent has called on all Cork TDs to support the Sinn Féin Dáil motion on the impending crisis in the health services.

The motion which has been tabled by the Sinn Féin Dáil team calls on the Government to live up to their electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination.

Speaking today Councillor Nugent said:

“Our health system is at breaking point. We are facing an impending crisis in our public hospitals due to the shortage of junior doctors from 11 July.

“This is not news. We have known for years that the hospital system is totally over-reliant on junior doctors. Successive Governments have recognised this but have failed to address the problem and now it is looming again, worse than ever.

“We now look set to lose A&E departments in hospitals across the state. Fine Gael and Labour made repeated pre-election commitments to maintain services at smaller hospitals. These commitments have proved worthless as they impose savage health cuts because they value senior bank bondholders more than they value patients in our public health services.

“The Sinn Féin Dáil motion calls on the Government and all those TDs who made firm promises to their constituents that they would protect hospitals including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, Loughlinstown, Ballinasloe, Limerick, Clonmel, Mallow, Bantry and St.Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork City, to stick by their word and stand up for the people who rely on these hospitals.

“We want the Government to stand by its electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination based on income or geographic location.

“I am calling on all Cork TDs to support this important motion in the Dáil and to stand up for the people that elected them.”

ENDS

Note to editors: Text of private members’ motion below.
The motion will be debated on Tuesday with a vote on Wednesday.

GNÓ COMHALTAÍ PRÍOBHÁIDEACHA
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS

“That Dáil Éireann calls on the Government to stand by its commitments and ensure:
— the continuation of all existing accident and emergency services at hospitals across
the State as promised by candidates of the Fine Gael and Labour parties in advance of
the General Election, including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, St.
Columcille’s (Loughlinstown), Portiuncula (Ballinasloe), the Mid-Western
(Limerick), Clonmel, Mallow and Bantry;
— the retention of key services such as orthopaedic services at St. Mary’s Hospital, Cork
and the return of comprehensive breast cancer services to Sligo, also as committed by
candidates of the parties now in Government; and
— equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination
based on income or geographic location.” — Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Gerry Adams,
Michael Colreavy, Seán Crowe, Pearse Doherty, Dessie Ellis, Martin Ferris, Mary
Lou McDonald, Sandra McLellan, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Jonathan O'Brien,
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brian Stanley, Peadar Tóibín.