Not a mention of a Cath Lab
CITIZENS of Sligo were no longer asking ‘when’ Sligo would get a Cath Lab, but ‘if ’, “despite the hand-wringing of our local TDs who keep saying ‘it’s around the corner’.”
That’s according to Councillor Chris MacManus who tabled a motion on the issue.
“People believe we’re being told one thing at local level but things are different at a national level,” he told the March meeting of Sligo County Council.
His motion called on the Council to call on the Minister for Health Simon Harris to initiate the provision of a Cardiac Catheterisation Lab at Sligo University Hospital to cover the North West region, given that there are no cath labs anywhere north of the Galway-Dublin line.
Cllr MacManus was supported by Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady who reminded members she had this issue on the agenda since the days of Sligo Borough Council pre-2014.
She read out a letter she received from Ms Ann Cosgrove of SAOLTA hospital group on 27 th February saying “a business case to support the development of a fixed cardiac catheterisation lab at Sligo had been submitted.”
“I am not happy with the report,” she said. “As Cllr MacManus says, at the big outing in the Knocknarea Arena recently (at the launch of Project Ireland 2040) there wasn’t a word about it,” said Cllr O’Grady.
She said Deputy Tony McLoughlin had promised that it would be delivered but “it’s a long time coming.”
“It hasn’t moved. That’s not the fault of the cardia team at local level,” she said.
Cllr O’Grady said she would keep the cath lab for Sligo on the agenda at the Health Forum West which meets regularly in Galway and of which Cllr O’Grady is a member.
“I’m annoyed it’s not a priority,” she said. “I want to fully support Councillor MacManus,” she added.