Sinn Féin leader slams removal of beds from Carrick-on-Suir hospital during Tipperary visit

Pictured above: Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn Féin European Parliament election candidate Kathleen Funchion (centre) with Save St Brigid's Hospital Action Group members and local public representatives and election candidates on the grounds of St Brigid's Hospital in Carrick-on-Suir during her recent visit to Tipperary.

Pictured from left to right: David Doran, Cllr David Dunne, Elaine Wall, Natasha C Dingivan, Eddie Reade, Mary Lou McDonald TD, Kathleen Funchion TD, Dean McGrath, Martin Browne TD, Seamus Healy, Cllr Seanie Power. 

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described the removal of beds at St Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir as a “scandalous waste of a valuable public asset” that needs to be revisited during her visit to the town.

Deputy McDonald made the comment after meeting with HSE representatives and Save St Brigid’s Action Group activist in Carrick-on- Suir on Thursday, March 28 during her visit to Carrick-on-Suir and Cashel with her party's EU election candidate Kilkenny Deputy Kathleen Funchion.

She also met with Carrick-on-Suir Business Association, the Youth Work Ireland Cashel Project, and representatives of the Tipperary Revitalisation Project on her whistle stop trip to county Tipperary.

The Sinn Fein leader was accompanied by Deputy Martin Browne and local Sinn Féin councillors David Dunne and Annemarie Ryan in her meetings the community organisations.

The former St Brigid’s District Hospital has been closed since 2020 and the Save St Brigid's Hospital members Ms McDonald met with have been campaigning for its reopening ever since.

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne said Ms McDonald sent the message to HSE officials she met that to waste such a valuable public asset and to remove respite, convalescence and palliative beds from the community was in her view, a “scandalous decision” and one that needs to be revisited.

He said Ms McDonald repeated her view of the importance of having beds at St Brigid’s that provide the community with the local services they need.

“The people of Carrick- on-Suir and the wider region invested financially and emotionally in St Brigid’s over the years, and deserve services to remain within their locality - not to have see their loved ones have to travel further afield for the care they deserve,” he said.

The Sinn Féin leader discussed the Carrick-on- Suir Regeneration Scheme during her meeting with Carrick-on- Suir Business Association and heard about the town's Carrick-on-Suir Strategic Vision.

In Cashel, Ms McDonald met with the team of Youth Work Ireland’s Cashel Project/Mid Tipp Drugs Initiative. Deputy Browne said emergency accommodation for the most vulnerable, access to GP and psychiatric services and other areas of concern they wish to see addressed were discussed.

Carmel Fox and Micheal Begley from Tipperary Town Revitalisation also met with the Sinn Féin leader and local politicians to outline their ongoing work to revitalise Tipperary town. Funding streams and their continuity were key issues discussed at this meeting.