The latest proposals of serious cuts in hospital services in the North East will result in the loss of life and greater hardship for thousands of sick people in the region, according to the Workers’ Party.

Workers’ Party Dundalk representative Peter Short said that the cuts were part of the slow death of the public health service in the region and that they run contrary to solemn assurances given by Minister Dermot Ahern and other government representatives during last year’s general election.

Mr. Short said that proposed closure of the Accident and Emergency Service in the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk would leave a town of 40,000 people without an emergency service and the strain from this and other cuts would cause total chaos at Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda which would have to cater for thousands of additional patients from downgraded hospitals at Navan, Monaghan and Dundalk.

“Eight months ago, during the general election campaign the Workers’ Party warned that cutbacks would leave Louth County Hospital as nothing more than a glorified nursing home.  At the time Minister Dermot Ahern circulated a leaflet to voters in County Louth in which he stated categorically that the hospital was in safe hands.   It is now obvious that the same hands are preparing to wield a knife to our local hospital”, said Peter Short.