Republican News · Thursday 11 July 2002

Call for inquiry into North Eastern Health Board management

County Monaghan-based Oireachtas members last week met the Minister for Health and Children Mícheál Martin on the current crisis at Monaghan General Hospital. TDs Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Paudge Connolly, Seymour Crawford and Rory O'Hanlon and Senator Ann Leonard attended the meeting in the Minister's office in Hawkins House last Thursday, 4 July.

The previus day, speaking on Northern Sound, Ó Caoláin had called on the Minister to suspend the services of the Chief Executive Officer and Deputy CEO of the North Eastern Health Board pending the outcome of a full public inquiry into the Board Executives ongoing "complicity in the downgrading of services at Monaghan General Hospital".

Speaking after the hour-long meeting with martin on Thursday, Ó Caoláin said:

"We impressed upon the Minister the need for his urgent intervention to ensure the resumption without further delay of surgery at Monaghan General Hospital.

Our hospital has been effectively shut down since Tuesday and it is a scandal that once more the elected representatives of Co Monaghan, including elected members of the North Eastern Health Board, have had to beat a path to the Minister's door to appeal for his intervention to ensure that the hospital has a future.

"We made clear to the Minister that Monaghan General Hospital is now facing a doomsday situation. We called for a full public inquiry into the management of hospital and healthcare delivery in the North East region. We sought the appointment by the Minister of a 'trouble-shooter' to the Board who would secure immediately the required cooperation of all relevant personnel and an adherence to Board policy by its Executive.

"We have been assured by Minister Martin that he is continuing in his efforts to secure the resumption of those services currently suspended. The Minister also assured the Oireachtas delegation that he is actively addressing the long-standing difficulties associated with Monaghan General Hospital, including its management structure."