Hospital hit by maintenance dispute

THE hospital at the centre of the baby Bronagh Livingstone controversy is without out-of-hours maintenance cover in a dispute with electricians and technicians over on-call payments.

The dispute affects all six hospitals in the North Eastern Health Board area, including Monaghan General Hospital which was criticised for its treatment of baby Bronagh's mother, Denise, prior to the premature infant's death, and Cavan General Hospital where mother and child were eventually admitted.

The row with the Technical, Electrical and Technical Union (TEEU) had been brewing for several months but reached a head last weekend when members withdrew their on-call emergency service.