The deficiencies of Limerick Regional Hospital shown in the recent HSE ‘Healthstat’ evaluation of performance revealed the weakness at the core of government policy in relation to local hospitals.

This was stated by Marian Harkin MEP speaking after she attended the demonstration in Ennis where thousands expressed their opposition to the decision to remove full Accident & Emergency service from Ennis.

“The recent experience of a 75 year old stroke victim in Kilrush who had to await an ambulance for 2 hours and 15 minutes, pinpoints the fact that the health service is not remotely ready to move A & E services from Ennis to Limerick”, she said.

She continued: “The people of Clare are not second class citizens and the removal of 24 hour accessible services within reasonable time from all parts of the county is entirely unacceptable.  Everybody in Co Claire has fought long and hard to maintain services at their hospital for very many years and now the HSE is stripping away those services by stealth. It is starting with the removal of full A&E and then the removal of acute surgical services. Essentially this means Ennis can no longer operate as a general hospital.  The death knell of Ennis General has sounded and the undertakers from the HSE are commencing the funeral service” Marian Harkin concluded.