Portlaoise community activist Tommy Timmons has been elected as the new chairman of the Hospital Action Committee and John Hanniffy is the new secretary following a meeting in the Parish Centre in Portlaoise this evening.
And a new committee has been formed to come up with a plan to help fight the downgrading of Portlaoise General Hospital.
A leaked HSE report last week stated that A&E services in the hospital were to be downgraded to an 8am to 8pm facility, a suggestion that led to a public meeting being called in the Midlands Park Hotel last week.
From that meeting – which was attended by well over 300 people including hospital staff, elected representatives and members of the public – individuals who were interested in going onto a committee were invited to put their names forward.
Close to 40 people were in attendance this evening with the meeting hearing a range views – including calls for the people of Laois to protest outside Minister Simon Harris’s constituency office; a protest in the town of Portlaoise; and a march on the Dail.
The meeting was once again chaired by Peter O’Neill but he made it clear that he wasn’t in a position to take on that role on a full-time basis. John Hanniffy – who had earlier made a passionate address saying that any protest must be kept in Portlaoise but done in such a way to garner national attention – was proposed initially for the chairperson’s job but he said he didn’t have the time.
Tommy Timmons, who has been active in this battle for a long number of years, was then proposed, seconded and elected unopposed.
Mr Hanniffy, another man who has years of community involvement, agreed to take on the secretary’s position with Dick Sydes remaining as treasurer. Padraig Fleming, the current Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, had been joint treasurer but wasn’t at the meeting.
A debate took place as to whether there should be a political involvement on the committee – with it needing a vote to rule that politicians not be involved. All 19 councillors in Laois have voted together to unite to back the campaign to save the hospital but those in attendance – Noel Tuohy, Catherine Fitzgerald, Caroline Dwane-Stanley and Willie Aird – voted against having an involvement with the committee at this level.
A lengthy discussion had earlier taken place as to what type of skills were needed on the group, with Cllr Noel Tuohy saying “the most important thing is passion”. A number of people were put forward to form a new committee.
“I hope I’m half as good a chairperson as the late great Kathleen O’Brien,” said Mr Timmons upon his election. “I have great experience of being involved and with the help of God I will do my very best, as I have since the 1990s.”
The full committee as of now is: Chairperson – Tommy Timmons; Secretary – John Hanniffy; Treasurer – Dick Sydes; Shane Dunne; Shane Dunne; Austin Stack; Ted Squire; Dominic Dunne; Michael Scully; Harry Allen; Elaine Dunne; Eimear Holland; Seamus Delaney; Stephen McGlynn; Sam Warren.
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