Gilmore made Roscommon A&E pledge

THE bitter political row over cutbacks at smaller hospitals widened last night as it emerged Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also made broken election pledges to protect Roscommon services.

As Fine Gael councillors quit the party in protest at Enda Kenny’s failure to live up to similar promises and demanded the Taoiseach return to the midlands to make a public apology, Mr Gilmore became embroiled in the controversy.

The Tánaiste was dragged into the squall after it was revealed he told local radio in the run-up to the election: “The Labour Party policy will be to retain Roscommon Hospital and to retain all of the services.

“The Labour Party believes in the importance of the local hospital — keeping hospital services close to where people are.”

Asked specifically if Roscommon emergency department (ED) would be “kept open 24/7”, he said that was Labour policy if they went into government.

Mr Gilmore last night denied cuts to services there were an “election U-turn”. The decision was taken after a health watchdog HIQA report, he said, and the original comments were made in good faith: “There have to be changes in the way in which services at hospitals are organised. Those changes have to take place in the interests of patients.”

He also said no decision was taken yet on downgrading services at St Columcille’s Hospital in his own Dublin constituency.

The ED at Roscommon closed yesterday to be replaced by a minor injuries’ unit for adults only.

The move saw more than 400 people demonstrate as confusion dogged the changeover, with the HSE initially saying the ED at Mullingar’s Midland Regional Hospital was too busy to take patients from the Roscommon ambulance service. Some doctors warned the length of time it would take to ferry Roscommon patients to hospitals in other counties could be dangerous.

Councillors Dominic Connolly and Laurence Fallon resigned from Fine Gael in anger at Mr Kenny’s broken election pledges.

The Government said it had to change policy after medical watchdogs warned smaller hospitals were not the safest treatment centres.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the Taoiseach’s credibility was on the line due to the flip-flopping over Roscommon. Sinn Féin organised a series of protests at hospitals the party has warned face cutbacks, including Loughlinstown, Tallaght, Mallow, Letterkenny, Monaghan and Sligo.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin said the Taoiseach had misled the Dáil over the hospital cutbacks.