Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Hundreds of decent people from County Monaghan again braved the cold and inconvenience to make yet another trek to Leinster House to ask the Government to maintain crucial services at Monaghan General Hospital. Deputy Connolly has championed the community in County Monaghan time and again on this issue, to great effect. We want the Taoiseach to clarify exactly where the Government stands on the hospital's services because there is, on the face of it, a total contradiction between what the Tánaiste says will happen in the next two years and what was said today by representatives of the Taoiseach's party. The Tánaiste is promising that within two years the high care unit in the hospital will be closed, in addition to the medical services ward, which is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It was promised that the opening hours of the accident and emergency unit which has operated 24 hours a day, seven days per week, would be pared back to 12 hours per day and that there would be a similar paring back of X-ray facilities.

A Fianna Fáil Senator said to the people of County Monaghan outside the gates of Leinster House today that the Taoiseach was in full agreement with him that all current services should be maintained at the hospital.

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