The details for the Laois TDs’ rescheduled meeting with Minister Simon Harris on the future of Portlaoise Hospital has been confirmed.
Deputies Charlie Flanagan, Sean Fleming and Brian Stanley were to meet the minister in the Dail on Wednesday evening to express their concerns at the recent leaked report which said that proposes a series of measures which would reduce services at the hospital – including Accident and Emergency, Intensive Care, paedaetrics and maternity.
However, that meeting was postponed at short notice and will now take place tomorrow morning, Friday, at 9am.
The Minister has since confirmed that he will provide ‘clarity’ on the situation before the end of the year.
This is in relation to Dr Susan O’Reilly’s report which has been sharply criticised by the local TDs, councillors and doctors.
Charlie Flanagan, a cabinet colleague of Simon Harris, has said that the report should be binned while the local doctors have spoken out strongly at the lack of consultation and engagement on the issue.
A recent protest saw thousands of people gather in Portlaoise for a rally organised by the Portlaoise Hospital Action group and this followed on from a series of meetings in the towns around the county.
The committee has requested an urgent meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Simon Harris and Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin on the leaked report on Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise.
In the last few days, on behalf of the committee, secretary, John Hanniffy wrote to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris and to the leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin.
“The intention of sending these letters was to request an urgent meeting to discuss the leaked report pertaining to MRHP, which is currently under consideration by Minister Harris,” the local committee confirmed.
SEE ALSO – Hospital Action Committee seek meeting with Taoiseach
The LaoisToday 2017 Annual is now on sale in bookshops and newsagents around the county – this is where you can buy it
