The group campaigning for the retention of acute services at Monaghan General Hospital still hasn't ruled out fielding its own candidate in the general election.
Peadar McMahon, of the Monaghan Hospital Community Alliance, said yesterday: "Its still on the agenda. If it takes that, we are prepared to do that. But no decision has been made yet." He was speaking as a cavalcade of about 100 vans and trucks driven by business people from Monaghan arrived at Leinster House in Dublin to continue putting pressure on the Government to reverse plans to remove further acute services from Monaghan hospital.
Gordon Fleming, owner of a department store in Monaghan, led the cavalcade and said the group who travelled with him represented 5,000 votes and the Government needed to be aware of this. "If I didn't provide what my customers wanted, I would be out of business. If they don't provide what voters want, they should also be put out of business." Asked if this many votes really mattered in a constituency where one TD, the Ceann Comhairle, is automatically returned to the Dáil, he said: "Every politician thinks 5,000 votes are important."
Seamus McAdam, a newsagent in Monaghan, claimed the HSE's insistence that it was not safe to provide all acute services in Monaghan hospital was nonsense. "My grandparents, my parents, me and my children have all used it. My children were born there. It saves lives."
The group delivered an early Valentine card to Minister for Health Mary Harney, urging her to "have a heart" and reverse her policy in relation to the hospital.
"I think eventually common sense must rule. Government policy is not going to work. We are told we will have better services in the regional hospital but those better services are no use if you are going to be dead when you arrive there," Mr McMahon said.
Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses Organisation has sought an immediate meeting with the HSE over plans to close intensive care beds in Monaghan, Cavan, Navan and Dundalk hospitals by the end of the year.
"That should not be happening until new services are in place. Drogheda will not be able to take the overflow," Tony Fitzpatrick of the INO said.