Kenny’s pre-election pledge on Roscommon Hospital ‘made in good faith’

A PLEDGE on Roscommon County Hospital was made by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny in good faith, Minister of State for Europe Affairs Lucinda Creighton said yesterday.

From today only minor injuries will be treated at the hospital despite Mr Kenny’s pre-election commitment last February that emergency services would be maintained.

Ms Creighton came to the defence of Mr Kenny after an electronic recording of his verbal commitment made by a newspaper reporter was played on national radio.

Ms Creighton said Mr Kenny made the statements in good faith and his intention “was and is” to do everything to retain the level of service in Roscommon that people expected.

Ms Creighton, who was speaking on RTÉ radio, said the problem was that the hospital’s delivery of accident and emergency services was not safe.

“I think it would be highly irresponsible, more than irresponsible, in fact, for the Taoiseach or the Minister for Health to stand over a situation where we led the public to believe it was safe when, quite clearly, it’s not.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin described Mr Kenny’s pre-election commitment as disgraceful, reckless and irresponsible.

“Not only were promises made and promises broken, we still have the Taoiseach as late as yesterday denying that he had made any promise at all in relation to Roscommon,” he said.

Mr Martin said he challenged Mr Kenny on the promises he made in regard to the hospital and claimed he hit back in a very self-righteousness manner and suggested that he made no such personal promises.

“I would now say to him that he needs to come before the House, correct the record of Dáil Eireann and make it very clear that he did make such a promise,” he said.

Mr Martin said he had made it clear during the election campaign that no party should have been making the kind of promises that were being made.

Because of the economic crisis, both globally and nationally, it was not the kind of election that warranted these kind of commitments, he said. Such commitments were obviously designed to try and get an overall majority.

Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said he did not believe Mr Kenny’s commitment was either reckless or irresponsible.

He did, however, think it was disgraceful that the Taoiseach’s commitment was not being honoured and said it damaged the credibility of politics.

Mr Ó Caoláin said the axing of Roscommon’s Emergency Department was motivated primarily by budget considerations and against the interests of patient safety.