Town to march against Hanly report

NENAGH residents are planning a street rally next Saturday to protest against the Hanly report on the health services.

The Nenagh Hospital Action Group, which is led by the Friends of Nenagh Hospital, will hold the rally on November 29, departing the hospital at 2pm.

Acute services at Nenagh and Ennis hospitals are earmarked to be downgraded under proposals.

After the street protest, groups from north Tipperary, Clare and other areas will meet to form a national steering committee. That group will plan a march to Dáil Éireann and other national actions against the Hanly Report.

The rally chairman, Borrisokane-based solicitor and chairman of the Friends of Nenagh Hospital, Paul Malone called for support from all groups, organisations, schools, and individuals in the community.

“We are calling on everybody interested in the retention of the services of Nenagh Hospital to support the hospital and their opposition to the Hanly Report by marching,” said Mr Malone.

“We can’t take this fight on alone we need the support of the general public.”

“It is vital that people from throughout north Tipperary support this march. It is the third opportunity they have had to oppose publicly the proposals for the hospital and to show their feelings, we’ve already had two packed public meetings,” said Mr Malone.

“This is a naive plan, because it was presented without capital costs.

“We believe that the downgrading of services will happen and then we’ll lose the services that we have in Nenagh,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bertie Ahern yesterday denied he is planning to appoint Defence Minister Michael Smith to a special Cabinet group on the Hanly Report.

The Cabinet committee to implement the Hanly Report consists of Tánaiste Mary Harney, Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy and Minister for Health Micheál Martin.

Responding to newspaper reports that Mr Smith was on the committee, Mr Ahern said: “I’d have to consult with my paid advisors in the Irish Times to see where they got that story from.”