People living in the Mid-West have “every right to feel aggrieved” with the standard of health services in the region, a protest held in Ennis has heard.

Between 60 to 70 people gathered at the Daniel O’Connell Monument on Saturday afternoon as the Mid-West Hospital Campaign held its first demonstration since the pandemic. Ongoing frustration with the health services in the locality and the failure to address an overcrowded University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and it having the highest amount of patients on trolleys across the country were voiced by protesters in their bid to see Ennis Hospital returned its status as a model three hospital and for the emergency department to reopen.

Protesters held red flags with numbers on them symbolising the amount of patients left waiting on trolleys in an overcrowded UHL. In April, a new record was set when 126 patients were on trolleys at UHL.

Politicians present were, Joe Carey TD (FG), Cathal Crowe TD (FF), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) and Cllr Mark Nestor (FF).

Addressing the protest, Hilary Tonge of Mid-West Hospital Campaign recalled that at the time Ennis Hospital was downgraded in 2009 that failed promises were made. “A new centre of excellence was promised but instead we got the country’s most overcrowded hospital”.

Noeleen Moran, the group’s chief spokesperson in the county explained that the protest was called “because Co Clare needs a proper functioning emergency department in Ennis”. The downgrading of Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital and St John’s Hospital has left “far too many people reliant on University Hospital Limerick”. The enormous pressures of staff from the beginning to the end of their working shifts was flagged by the Ballyvaughan native who observed that it was “no wonder” difficulty was encountered when trying to recruit and retain staff.

She praised the Government for taking “extraordinary and prompt measures” during the response to COVID-19 and believed a similar approach was now needed for the healthcare “crisis” in the Mid-West, “the quickest and most effective way is to reopen the A&Es”. “If you fall sick after hours there are no alternatives,” Noeleen said. She lamented the fact that a mooted reopening of Ennis Hospital’s ED was “consistently sidelined and ruled out”.

Moran continued, “The people of the Mid-West matter and we will never accept the conditions we are being subject to in University Hospital Limerick. We have every right to feel aggrieved”.

Related News

active travel tulla rd ennis
Start date of construction for Ennis' Active Travel scheme 'is imminent'
Irish-Open-Friday-183
Doonbeg must target lasting legacy Irish Open left in Lahinch
0.9
€6.6m for transformation of Tuam Station House to enterprise hub
matchmaker bar lisdoonvarna 1
Samaritans to support revellers at Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
Latest News
block r shannon industrial estate 1
Mbyronics lease Block R in Shannon Free Zone as part of Mid-West expansion
aoife power niamh mcmahon 1-2
Power pulls it over the line to win player of the week
active travel tulla rd ennis
Start date of construction for Ennis' Active Travel scheme 'is imminent'
clooney quin v feakle 07-09-25 jerry o'connor 1
Clooney/Quin complete turnaround from relegation battle to county semi-final in twelve months
Irish-Open-Friday-183
Doonbeg must target lasting legacy Irish Open left in Lahinch
Premium
Clooney/Quin complete turnaround from relegation battle to county semi-final in twelve months
Doonbeg must target lasting legacy Irish Open left in Lahinch
€6.9m allocated to transform Cloister into community space
West Clare man (22) charged with sexual assault of 13 year old girl at Vandeleur Woods
Dublin man accused of harassing ex Clare hurler Páidí Fitzpatrick over nine month period

Advertisement

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.