A community activist is considering running as a single-issue candidate in the next general election as the campaign for a general hospital in Athlone intensifies.
Ms Betty Kelly from Drum said she had been approached by concerned locals to run but would have to think about it. The campaign to have a general hospital in the town is gathering pace, following two marches in recent weeks.
Athlone has a population of over 20,000. It has a district hospital, St Vincent's, which is also used for the care of elderly patients.
In the event of an accident or emergency people must travel to Ballinasloe or Mullingar for hospital facilities. When people get the bus to Ballinasloe, they have to walk a quarter of a mile to Portiuncula hospital.
"It's not fair on the elderly," Ms Kelly said. "We have been campaigning for years and getting nowhere. We are only waiting for a disaster to happen and then the politicians might do something about it.
"The first thing we need is an accident and emergency unit," Ms Kelly said. "In the longer term, we need a general hospital. But there is no political will to do anything."
Highlighting the lack of hospital facilities, she ran for Fine Gael, but did not win a seat in the last local elections. She said she resigned from the party because there was no party support for the campaign.
However, Fine Gael town councillor Ms Nicky McFadden said the party did support the campaign for the hospital. "It's the single biggest issue in Athlone at this time so you would be foolish to ignore it. There is a desperate need for facilities and we have to put the pressure on."
Ms Kelly points to the success of the late Mr Tom Foxe in keeping a hospital open in Roscommon. The former Independent TD was elected under the banner of the Roscommon Hospital Action Committee in 1989. ail minister Mr Sean Doherty. Mr Foxe supported the 1989/1992 Fianna FailPD coalition in return for the upgrading of facilities at Roscommon hospital. but eventually lost his seat in 1997. "Tom Foxe's success is proof that it could work. I believe we will get a hospital for Athlone."
"Longford has a population of about 6,000 yet they have a full A&E unit. Why? Because Albert Reynolds worked wonders for them," Ms Kelly said. "Yes, there is a very strong possibility that we will have an election candidate unless something dramatic happens in the meantime."
Retired businessman Mr Miley O'Neill has been campaigning for improved hospital facilities for the past six years. But he said he would not be interested in becoming an election candidate. "I'm 76. Some young person should take up the challenge."
A spokeswoman for the Midland Health Board said the Department of Health had approved a project team to look at Athlone's health service infrastructure. She said the first meeting was held in October and work on the necessary reports was now under way.