NEXT
Thursday national media attention will be focused on the race for the Aras and
the two referenda. But voters in Dublin West will also be concentrating on
selecting a new local TD to replace the late Brian Lenihan.
The
former Minister for Finance was Dublin’s only Fianna Fail TD after the party’s
decimation in the general election earlier this year. And the end of the
Lenihan dynasty in the constituency looks set to leave the Soldiers of Destiny
powerless in the capital.
Labour’s
Patrick Nulty is favourite to be his Dáil replacement, with Socialist Party
runner Ruth Coppinger being touted as the candidate most likely to cause a
minor upset.
However,
Fianna Fail’s David McGuinness and Eithne Loftus of Fine Gael are both
optimistic they can win and neither Sinn Fein candidate Paul Donnelly nor Green
Party hopeful Roderic O’Gorman will be throwing in the towel before the race is
over.
The
battle for the seat is the coalition Government’s first test since taking
office and candidates are arguing over national issues like the economy,
education cutbacks and homeowners in negative equity.
But
the one burning local issue is Connolly Hospital. Running massively over
budget, cutbacks are inevitable. But question marks remain over exactly what
services the hospital can afford to provide in the coming months.
Opposition
candidates have tried to capitalise on fears that the A&E department would
be forced to close, a concern Fine Gael tried to put to rest recently when
their Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, visited the hospital and the party
candidate promised it would remain open full-time.
Fianna
Fáil’s David McGuinness was quick to respond to the minister’s visit.
“We’re
very keen to find out exactly what plans Fine Gael and Labour have for Connolly
Hospital,
? he said.
“Minister
Reilly visited the hospital with his party’s candidate, Cllr Eithne Loftus.
Shortly afterwards Cllr Loftus was claiming that this meant there would be no
downgrading of the services at Connolly Hospital. Yet by the following Thursday
staff were informed that services were being downgraded.
?
Paul
Donnelly (SF) wasn’t impressed by the Fianna Fail candidate’s comments and
urged his rivals to be
“upfront and honest
? about their position on the future
of the hospital.
“I
am calling on every candidate from all parties and none to be clear about their
stance with regard to the cuts to Connolly Hospital and the threats to A&E
services for Dublin West and the surrounding areas,
? he said.
“I
have listened with amazement to David McGuinness of Fianna Fáil talk about the
cuts to the hospital and the irony of his statements are not lost on those who
have had to work under a Fianna Fáil government. It was his party that started
the asset stripping of Connolly hospital.
?
Ruth
Coppinger also expressed her disbelief that the hospital’s future was secure.
“Nobody
is reassured by the minister’s political-speak when he says the hospital or
A&E will be ‘reconfigured’, not downgraded,
? she said.
“He
says Connolly Hospital must stay under budget, but the budgets have been
slashed by 20 per cent when the population has risen by 10 per cent, so more
bed closures or A&E reduction is inevitable.
?
Fine
Gael’s Eithne Loftus hit back at the criticism claiming the biggest threat to
the hospital were the Socialists.
“The
stories relayed by people at the meeting on Blanchardstown Hospital were
heart-rending and illustrated the scale of the task that we face in trying to
improve our health services with limited resources,
? she said.
“Difficult
as things currently are, they would be considerably worse if the economic policies
of Joe Higgins and his Socialist Party colleague, Cllr Ruth Coppinger, held
sway.
“Let
me be clear: the delivery of State services is dependant on loans from the
EU/IMF. By rejecting the EU/IMF agreement, as Joe Higgins would have us do,
this country would be plunged into economic meltdown.
?
The
Green’s Roderic O’Gorman believes he’s the best candidate to defend services at
the hospital as he wouldn’t be constrained by any party whip.
“Connolly
Hospital has become a major issue in this campaign,
? he said.
“You
only need to knock on about 10 doors here in Dublin 15 to get an impression of
the genuine fear that exists about the level of service provision in Connolly
and in particular about the future of the A&E department.
“I
am absolutely committed to firstly maintaining the full 24 hour A&E service
onsite in Connolly and secondly to fight against other damaging cutbacks within
the hospital.
?
Other
candidates not mentioned above but who are running in Dublin West are: Gary
Bermingham (Ind); Barry Caesar Hunt (Ind); Benny Cooney (Ind); Brendan Doris
(Ind); Peadar O Ceallaigh (FN); John Kidd (Ind); and Jim Tallon (Ind).