Republican News · Thursday 24 January 2002

Ó Caoláin cancels Sellafield trip to defend Monaghan Hospital

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has announced that he will not now be travelling to the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant next week. He said he had to cancel so that he could attend the meeting of the North Eastern Health Board on 28 January and support a motion in his name expressing concern at the erosion of hospital services.

Ó Caolain was due to travel to Sellafield as part of a delegation from the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body but he said he "must give first priority" to the Monaghan Hospital crisis. His Sinn Féin Six-County Assembly colleague Barry McElduff will travel to Sellafield in his place.

The Sinn Féin TD has tabled the following motion for next Monday's North Eastern Health Board meeting:

"This Board records its concern at the continual erosion of services at Monaghan, Cavan and Navan hospitals and the Louth Hospital at Dundalk and requires, as a matter of practice, the introduction of real consultation by the Board Executive with members regarding any proposal that entails removal or diminution of services at any of the Board's hospital sites."

Ó Caoláin said he was "determined to press the case for our hospital services to the utmost".

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

The SF TD has also tabled two motions relating to the Maternity Unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Dozens of women have alleged that unnecessary hysterectomies and other procedures were carried out on them in the Hospital. Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin was among a number of TDs who attended a meeting in Drogheda on 16 January called by Patient Focus, which represents the women. He said he was "appalled" by the accounts of the women. He has therefore tabled the following motions:

(a) "The North Eastern Health Board notes with concern that an enquiry by the Fitness to Practise Committee of the Medical Council has continued for a period in excess of two years and with no finality in sight, and calls on that body to sit for whatever number of days are required in order to discharge their responsibility in this instance."

(b) "The North Eastern Health Board, mindful of public concern arising from the testimonies of women throughout the region and of the need to establish the full facts and of the need, if proven, to set in place an appropriate process of compensation, requests the Minister for Health and Children to establish a full public inquiry into the delivery of Maternity Services at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda."

Ó Caoláin told An Phoblacht: "Justice must be done in this case. It could, if proven, become one of the biggest medical scandals in this country."

(Sinn Féin launches radical plan to transform health care provision Pages 10/11)