FG committed to valuing and maintaining our local hospitals

Nicky and Dr. James Reilly TD at the Fine Gael FairCare public meeting in Mullingar

PRESS RELEASE -

Having attended the public protest march in Ballinasloe at the weekend, Fine Gael Longford/ Westmeath Senator Nicky McFadden congratulated the Portiuncula Action Committee for organising the hugely attended public event against the downgrading of services at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

Senator McFadden went on to compliment Dr. John Barton on his passionately delivered address to the meeting. “When in Government, we in Fine Gael will be committed to keeping open our local hospitals including Mullingar, Roscommon and Portiuncula. Under our FairCare proposal put forward by our Spokesperson on Health Dr. James Reilly TD we will deliver a health service that is fair and that will eliminate the two-tier system of service delivery.

“We will take the power for the management for our local hospitals away from the HSE by establishing local hospital trusts, comprising of elected representatives and staff representatives. These committees will manage their own budget for the benefit of our community. Portiuncula Hospital has served the people of Athlone for generations and the downgrading of services cannot and must not be tolerated.

“Under FairCare, Fine Gael is committed to ending waiting lists, putting more community based health care provision in place, ensuring free GP care for all, screening for illnesses, ending waiting lists and universal access to health services in hospitals that are funded on the basis of patients treated rather than outdated annualised budgeting”