Protest in Nenagh gets underway today after dispute between healthcare unions and HSE

Saturday will see what is expected to be a large protest march in Nenagh, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has indicated that he is sticking with the hugely controversial HSE plan to repurpose the town’s new €24 million 50-bed community nursing home to a privately run step-down facility to care for patients from the overcrowded University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

A fresh row has broken out as unions representing staff of the new community nursing unit at Tyone hotly dispute an assertion by the Minister that the HSE’s Chief Executive Officer in the Mid-West, Sandra Broderick, has met with staff and union representatives in relation to the issue.

Mark Quinn of SIPTU’s Health Division said that at no time did the HSE consult with unions or families of elderly people due to move into the new facility before announcing that it was to be repurposed to cater as a temporary privately run step-down facility for patients from UHL.

The protest on May 11th at 2.30 pm will be from Church Road outside St Conlan’s to the new CNU adjacent to Nenagh hospital. HIQA reports have indicated that the existing building at St Conlan’s is no longer up to the required standard.