Commenting on the imminent visit of Mary Harney to Louth County Hospital, Vice Chairman of the savoe Our hospital Services Committee, Tomás Sharkey said;
Louth people have shown their anger and hurt at this governments health policies many many times. But we will continue our dignified work by protesting this visit. We are asking everyone to come along from 10.30 to 12.30 on Monday to show you are still angry.
"We filled the town Hall, town square and streets as ordinary citizens. We spoke as one in saying that withdrawing services in Louth County hospital will have a domino effect on other services and leave patients.
"The ordinary people of Louth were right when we protested. We have a right to a proper health services and a right to be listened to. The HSE officials who composed the plans to close services were carrying out the orders, policies and wishes of a cabinet that decided long ago to treat the people of this area as guinea pigs in an experiment to see how long it would take for someone to die on their way to a distant hospital.
"We took signed pledges from representatives of Fianna Fail and the Greens as a word of honour. Those pledges that the parties would not allow any more closure of services and would replace lost services were bare faced lies and their signatures remain on the www.louthhospital.com website as a testament to their failure of the public.
"Mary Harney last visited our hospital in 2007 in a dizzy effort to salvage the political careers of her colleagues in that general election. She will not recognise the place now. The Acute medical wards are closed and the beds packed away. The Intensive Care Unit no longer exists and A&E is gone. She will view the fruits of her and her friends butchery of our services. Knowing her she will glow with pride.
"Mary Harney will probably be chapperoned by a colleague from the failing and disappearing government. They will be worse than any Camilla and Charles circus rolling into an English town demeaning the residents. Perhaps she will bring along some old pyjamas and bedclothes for the patients, just as the staff were asked to last month.
"Our protest will be dignified, will be made up of the ordinary community and will have a clear message for mary Harney and her policies - NO WELCOME HERE! - SHAME
"Our committee has contacted the HSE management and asked for a commitment that any member of staff who is unwilling to greet the Minister will not be subject to comment, reprimand or any negative actions from the management in the future."
