Wexford Hospital “sell out” is high treachery

Wexford Sinn Féin have condemned the u-turn on the building of a new A&E Unit and obstetrics ward at Wexford General Hospital, and have laid the onus on the new Fine Gael/Labour coalition government to find out where the funding earmarked for the project has gone.  Sinn Féin Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that whoever is responsible for the disappearance of this funding must be exposed, and has said that their “sell out” of Wexford General Hospital amounts to high treachery.

Cllr Kelly said;

“How dare members of this new government tell the people of County Wexford that the vital upgrade project at Wexford General is going ahead, before pulling the plug two days later.  Are they really suggesting that €21 million disappeared in two days?  Our new government seems to believe that blaming the last government will exclude them from blame.  Fine Gael and Labour are in government now.  If we are told that our hospital is to lie in a state of limbo for four years, then it is this new government that must be held accountable.” 

“Minister Brendan Howlin has stated that the HSE has led us on a merry dance.  I fear that it is this new government and Minister Howlin who are attempting to lead us on a merry dance.

I’m calling on Minister Howlin and his government colleges from our county, Deputy Kehoe and Deputy Twomey, to find out what has happened to this money and to explain to me why they announced that the funding was there, only to say that it was missing two days later.  Did they not think it prudent to count it first maybe?  Someone is playing games here and it needs to end now.  Those responsible are guilty of the sell out of Wexford general Hospital and high treachery against the people of this county.”

“I’m calling on the people of County Wexford to stand up and fight this sell out.  Wexford Sinn Féin has campaigned for well over a decade for better health services at Wexford hospital.  We have never been afraid to get onto the streets and air our discontent.  If this new government refuses to see sense, then we will go back onto the streets.  I’m calling on every man, woman and child in County Wexford to join us and to end the Wexford General Hospital stalemate once and for all.”

"Good riddance to Harney & co. - Lets take our county back" says Sinn Féin hopeful, Kelly

Sinn Féin general election candidate, Cllr. Anthony Kelly, has called
on the people of County Wexford to "take their county back"

He was speaking in advance of a rally of Sinn Féin members in North
Wexford which was held in The Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey on Monday
evening (24th) and in the wake of the departure of Health Minister,
Mary Harney from office during the past week.
He said:

"We in Sinn Féin Loch Garman have for many years been campaigning for
the upgrading of Wexford General Hospital and have been fighting to
have the existing services protected.  Health is a basic right in any
republic.  We've always argued for an end to the present two-tiered
system; one waiting list for all in a public health service free at the
point of entry."

Addressing Minister Harney who stepped down during the week, Cllr. Kelly said:

"I'm sure we speak for countless people on hospital trolleys this week
when we say good riddance!  You and your government have damaged the
health of this state for too long!  We now need to intensify the fight
to upgrade Wexford General so that those living in the Gorey district,
will never in the event of an accident or emergency, be forced to
chose between a long trip north to St.Vincents in Dublin or south
through traffic in New Ross to get to Waterford Hospital.

He claimed that the "latest INMO figures which showed that Wexford
General has lost a total of 39 beds had confirmed Sinn Féin's belief that a
process of downgrading by stealth has been taking place across our
health service."

"We in Sinn Fein have contradicted the lie that we don't have the
money to build a first class public health service.  We just need elect
parties who will burn the bondholders, tax those who can most afford
to pay and divert this money towards supporting public services."

Referring to the Finance Bill which gives legal effect to the Fianna
Fáil/Green budget, he slammed Fine Gael / Labour for seeking to have
it pushed through this week.  It attacks the most vulnerable with a plan
to slash 1 billion from our health service.  How can you support this
and then try to fool the people of County Wexford into thinking that
you are offering a real alternative?"

He concluded by urging "all progressive minded people, who yearn for
change and regardless of previous political affiliations to join with
Sinn Fein in the campaign over the coming weeks to take their county,
and indeed country back from the Gombeenmen and women who have sold it
out in recent years".

Reopen closed beds in WGH now

Sinn Féin’s Cllr. Anthony Kelly has called upon the HSE to reopen thirty nine closed beds at Wexford General Hospital immediately.  The call from the general election candidate comes after a nationwide report from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation identified 1,672 beds closed, despite the fact that emergency departments are severely overcrowded at this time.

“The latest INMO survey confirms that a process of downgrading by stealth has been carried out on hospitals across this nation,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Wexford General has lost thirty nine beds.  These beds must be reopened immediately to give our patients back their dignity.  The overcrowding crisis in our hospital is manageable, but it will require original thought, prompt action and a bit of compassion, things which our current Minister for Health sadly lacks.  Sinn Féin fully supports the INMO in their call for the reopening of these beds.  We have campaigned against the downgrading of our health service right across the country, and have called for real reform of the Irelands health service for many years now.”

Cllr Kelly, a long term advocate of a fairer, more efficient health service, went on to commend frontline staff for their patience and dedication in the face of such incompetence from the Health Minister.  “The Minister for Health might be useless, and the HSE horribly mismanaged but our frontline health workers have continued to do a superb job, and the staff of Wexford General Hospital in particular must be praised for never letting our county down,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Their service can form the basis of a new national health service that will provide the highest quality care appropriate to the needs of each individual. That is the health service that Sinn Féin aims to build in a new Ireland.”

Kelly calls for action on Hospital Crisis

Wexford Sinn Féin general election candidate, cllr Anthony Kelly, has urged the government to reverse cuts to the health service immediately after it was revealed that hospital A&E units are already being over ran.

“We have a record-breaking number of 569 patients on trolleys and chairs in our public hospital A&E departments but this situation is set to worsen as a result of the cuts imposed in the Budget," Cllr Kelly said, "We have had over 1500 acute hospital beds closed due to cuts even before Budget 2011."

“The Fianna Fáil/Green Government has taken €765 million out of the public health budget for 2011 and its four-year plan would take a total of €1.4 billion by 2014."

Cllr Kelly said that this would leave the Irish health service wiped out. He restated that if Sinn Féin enters government, these cuts will be stopped.