Government TDs under fire over A&E ‘downgrading’

A major political row has erupted in Co Clare over the proposed “significant downgrading” of 12-hour accident and emergency services at Ennis Hospital amid claims local TDs are not living up to their pre-election promises.

Timmy Dooley of Fianna Fáil levelled the charge against Fine Gael TDs Pat Breen and Joe Carey along with Labour TD Michael McNamara after the Mid-West HSE confirmed the local emergency centre at Ennis Hospital will become a local injuries unit focusing on the care of injuries such as broken bones, soft tissue injuries and wounds.

The Mid-West HSE has insisted the change is in line with new national clinical programmes to provide safer patient care in acute hospitals in the Mid-West.