Plan to bring Monaghan Hospital protests to M50

Campaigners for Monaghan Hospital are planning to bring their protests at the downgrading of the hospital to the M50 motway in…

Campaigners for Monaghan Hospital are planning to bring their protests at the downgrading of the hospital to the M50 motway in the coming weeks.

The Monaghan Community Hospital Alliance (MCHA) plan, in three weeks time, to bring a cavalcade from Monaghan to the M50 where they will stage a protest.

There are also indications that hospital campaigners from elsewhere in the country may join the MCHA to protest.

MCHA chairman, Peadar McMahon said the campaigners were bringing their protest to Dublin because the politicians are based in the city.

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"Everyone saw the rally we had at the Monaghan bypass. But we've had lots of rally's up here but no one noticed. The people in power are in Dublin. Once it's out of sight they don't care."

He said a proposal to protest on the M50 was made at a rally and was "seconded and seconded and seconded again by many, many people". Mr McMahon said the proposer believed that a protest on the M50 would have "the greatest impact".

Asked whether the MCHA was concerned about losing support for the campaign from Dublin drivers by protesting on a motorway notorious for traffic delays and tailbacks, Mr McMahon said: "We are fearing for our lives up here.

"People have died as a result of the downgrading of Monaghan Hospital. We are prepared to go to any lengths to remove that anxiety," he added.

Mr McMahon said that other hospital protest groups from around the country had been in contact with him about participating in the M50 demonstration.

He also rejected comments made yesterday by the Health Service Executive, Prof Brendan Drumm, that those lobbying for the retention of acute services at Monaghan Hospital were "scaremongering for self-interest".

"Where was the self-interest in 8,000 people taking the day off work to come out and protest. None of us get paid one cent for this. Where is the self-interest,?" asked Mr McMahon.

Prof Drumm made the comments to the Dáil's health committee during a six-hour long debate.