Roscommon hospital: Kenny accused of reneging on election promise
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Health Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin is calling on the Taoiseach to honour his election commitment to the people of Roscommon, to retain the Emergency Department at Roscommon County Hospital.
The A& E department will close at the hospital from tomorrow to be replaced with an urgent care centre.
The Sunday Business Post today revealed details of a taped recording of a speech made by Enda Kenny in Roscommon town last February, prior to the general election.
In the recording he vows to protect and defend the accident and emergency services at Roscommon Hospital.
Mr Kenny has denied he made election promises about the hospital that he cannot deliver.
"Enda Kenny's denial that he made any such commitment has now been exposed as false," Deputy Ó Caoláin said.
"He must bear the political consequences of that but far more important are the healthcare needs of the people served by the hospital and the Taoiseach and the Health Minister must reverse the closure decision.
"The axing of Roscommon A&E is motivated primarily by budgetary considerations. It is against the interests of patient safety, like the rest of the Fine Gael/Labour/IMF/ECB imposed health cuts."
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin also hit out at Mr Kenny, saying the Taoiseach's denial that he had made any personal commitment to Roscommon Hospital "is just another aspect of increasingly arrogant behaviour by the Government".
"This is a serious instance not just because he was caught falsely denying his own claims, but because he has done so repeatedly and misled the Dáil on this matter as recently as this week," Deputy Martin added.
