The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, moved yesterday to defuse growing concern and anger over delays in opening the €10 million new orthopaedic unit at Mayo General Hospital.
Hours before thousands of protesters staged a mass rally outside the gates of the hospital in Castlebar, the Minister went on local radio to deliver an assurance that a top-level meeting would be held between the Department of Health and the Western Health Board next week to try and resolve the situation.
Seventy eight medical personnel, including nurses, physiotherapists, radiographers, porters and secretaries, were appointed to the 33 bed unit, which has a modern clean air operating theatre, were due to take up their positions on July 1st.
But they were unhappy to learn last week that the Western Health Board would not approve of the issuing of contracts to them without the approval of the Department of Health.
Yesterday, in his first public pronouncement on the issue, which has become a major election issue in Mayo, Mr Martin said the health board had made it clear to his Department that anyone offered a contract would have that job honoured.
Every effort would be made to resolve the situation, the Minister promised. The new unit was far superior to anything that had gone before and it made sense to maximise the huge asset that had been made available.
The delay in opening the orthopaedic unit has sparked a huge outcry in a county where an estimated 1,500 people are in need of surgery for such procedures as knee joints and hip replacements.
As crowds gathered for a protest rally outside Mayo General Hospital last evening, Independent TD Dr Jerry Cowley, the main rally organiser, described as "disgraceful" the fact that the Minister had not made a full commitment to open the unit.
Dr Cowley, who started the campaign for full orthopaedic services in Mayo a decade ago, said it was encouraging that the Minister had spoken on the issue and promised action.
At least there was now some hope that the unit would open as promised on July 1st, Dr Cowley stated.
Local politicians joined hospital consultants and staff and members of the public for last night's huge rally outside the hospital complex.