Fr John Joe Duffy
A PRIEST leading a campaign to retain community hospitals in the county has accused the Government of “tearing the heart out of rural Ireland”.
Campaigners will march in Stranorlar today in protest at plans to move residential community nursing beds from Stranorlar, Lifford and Ramelton hospitals to a new facility in Letterkenny.
The protest takes place at Stranorlar community hospital at 1.30pm.
Stranorlar priest Fr John Joe Duffy says the HSE proposals are ‘stealth cuts’.
“These hospitals will stay open in name only as centres of administration. Long stay beds will be taken out of the 3 hospitals, respite beds will follow as it will not be financially viable to keep those beds without the long term beds. It is most likely then that all other services currently available at the 3 hospitals will migrate with the Minister Kathleen Lynch’s decision to close all long stay beds/ residential care units at the three hospitals.
“It will make it impossible for people to visit their relatives on a daily basis which is happening when these hospitals are at the heart of the community, so it is tearing the heart out of these communities.”
Fr Duffy said the cutbacks were part of “the erosion of smaller towns and rural communities by Government policy trying to move people into massive urban centres.
“Projections say over 550 beds for long-term care will be needed in Donegal and the new facility in Letterkenny can only guarantee less than half of what’s needed. It doesn’t make sense when there will be a greater need for beds because we have an ageing population.”
Fr Duffy is the chair of the ‘Save Our Services’ group behind today’s protest.
Meanwhile, a shuttle bus for the march will run from Jackson’s hotel, the Church and the Finn Valley car park to St. Josephs. The bus will have regular pick ups from 1pm.
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