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5,000 expected at protest in Sligo on Good Friday

category sligo | rights, freedoms and repression | press release author Friday April 10, 2009 01:23author by Killian McLoughlin - 'Save Sligos Cancer Services' group (SCSS)author email saveourcancerservices at gmail dot com

Thousands expected at Good Friday protest in Sligo as demands are delivered to Sligo General Hospital.

This is a copy of the press release sent out regarding the 'Save Sligos Cancer Services' (SCSS).
The group are organising a huge protest in Sligo this good friday, they are marching on Sligo General and demanding that the management choose whether they are going to represent the people of the Northwest or the private interests and agenda of Mary Harney and the HSE. The SCSS have stated that their memmbers are sick and tired of teh duplicity and lies of both the management in Sligo and the HSE and are no longer willing to accept it.
The people of the northwest are taking back their health services, starting with Sligo General Hospittal, this Good Friday 10/04/2009
Poster for Fridays protest
Poster for Fridays protest

From the 'Save Sligos Cancer Services' group (SCSS)
At Least 5000 are expected at a Good friday march in Sligo to Stop the transfer of Cancer Services to an overcrowded, under resourced UCHG under Mary Harneys failed cancer strategy.
Demands of full co-operation from the management of SGH will be delivered to the hospital today at 6pm.
We are expecting the management to clearly and publicly state whether they are representing the patienst of the Northwest or the interests and private agendas of Mary Harney.
Friday 10th of April at 5pm starting on O'Connell St, Sligo, marching to Sligo General hospital

To whom it may concern,

Due to the sheer level of frustration and anger at the lies and deceit of Mary Harney, the HSE and management of Sligo General hospital in recent times, particularly in relation to the removal of cancer serivces in Sligo to UCHG's 'Chamber of horrors', the people of the northwest have decided to march on SGH this Good friday.
Groups along with our own who are sick and tired of having their health facilities stripped away and angry at watching their families suffering as a result of the Irish Governments apathy and incompetance in managing our health services are taking to the streets again.
We are now demanding our rights as Irish citizens as laid out in the Irish constitution and are taking back our health services from the HSE, Mary Harney and her private interests.
The message is clear now to the management of Sligo General Hospital andto the HSE and Mary Harney:
We will not accept any more lies and deceit from those of you paid 6 figure salaries to run OUR hospitals, you now have a very clear choice to make:
Either represent us, the people of the Northwest or Mary Harney and her private interests because you can no longer pretend to do both.
We will accept nothing else other than full, honest co-operation with patients groups across the area.
We will also actively oppose any group, political or otherwise who try to oppose or block our efforts in any way.
Our written demands will be delivered today (Friday, April 10th) at 6pm to the hospital.

Save Sligos Cancer Services (SCSS)

Attached is an unedited recording taken 4 weeks ago of teh Tanaiste describing how she knows the opinions of dead people and a lot of other nonsense that she continously spews out.

Related Link: http://www.sligocentre.net

60,000 of these have been delivered across the NW
60,000 of these have been delivered across the NW

PDF Document Fact file printed by campaign in 2008 1.46 Mb


http://www.sligocentre.net/ab_site/Audio/Tanaiste%20on%20Ocean.mp3

Embedded audio: http://www.sligocentre.net/ab_site/Audio/Tanaiste%20on%20Ocean.mp3

Comments (22 of 22)

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author by Platopublication date Fri Apr 10, 2009 08:11author address author phone

Well done to all the citizens of the North West for taking this stand against Harney's privatisation agenda.

author by Sligeachpublication date Fri Apr 10, 2009 20:42author address author phone

Any report, pics? Sock it to her!

author by rhonapublication date Fri Apr 10, 2009 21:08author address author phone

Large turnout despite the weather,politicans of all persuasions in attendance,very few from Fianna Fail only saw Cllr kilgallon, he who is about to lose his seat.Oh Cllr Jimmy Mc Garry of the Labour Party was Conspicuous by his absence,maybe he was being wined and dined in the Big House by the gentry.The organisers appealed to voters in the local elections not to vote for politicans who do not support the retention of Cancer Services in the North West.Harney and her privitasion agenda also got down the banks ,Death by Geography.

author by Killian McLoughlinpublication date Fri Apr 10, 2009 21:37author address author phone

TV3 coverage of todays protest, well done to all who came along and showed their support.
This fight will go on until, the HSE is ran out of the Northwest.

HSE: Harneys Sick Experiment
HSE: Harneys Sick Experiment

Mary Harney: Minister for Private Health
Mary Harney: Minister for Private Health

Related Link: http://www.tv3.ie/article.php?article_id=11705&locID=1.2.&pagename=news
author by Gerrypublication date Sat Apr 11, 2009 00:03author address author phone

There was politicans there today from all political parties , l didn't see Wee Jimmy , didn't see Rosleen O'Grady then again she is a Fianna Fail Councillor didn't see Brian (Cake ) Scanlon there or wannabe cllr Matt Lyons Jude Devins was missing not one of them would come and support the people today . !
Fair dos to all the people who did come out . !
Great covrage on TV3 News tonight .

author by Taggerpublication date Sat Apr 11, 2009 01:08author address author phone

Well done on your efforts to day this is people power,but we need lots, and lots more of it.

Harney sits there on the front bench with her right wing agenda, why is she still there, it is my understanding that the PD's no longer exist as a Politicial Party if this is correct is this constitutional? or maybe I have missed the point and that is, that this Government has and can do what it feels like, when it just feels like doing it irregardless of the wishes of the people they are supposed to serve, however they are execllent at serving their Multinational Corporate friends.We have been sold out by our own Government.

author by ned greenpublication date Sat Apr 11, 2009 14:24author address author phone

Gerry I can confirm that Cake Scanlon was at the march as I personally walked alongside both him and Cllr Declan Bree.Remember one of the main reasons Brian resigned from the Greens was because of their lack of support for the retention of Cancer Services in the North West,he also refused to attend one of the first meetings he arranged when he was in the Greens with Prof Keane after the Green Party hierarchry tried to gag him from asking pertinent questions.If only our Fianna Fail local politicans had the gall and bottle like Brian who put the lives and welfare of the people before party membership.Gerry Matt Lyon was also in attendance as he can be clearly seen behind John Perry on the TV3 film fotage,this was the first time he attended any of the marches ,now that his running in the Locals Im sure like Perry he was their primarily for the photo shoot.

author by Killian McLoughlin - SCSS (Save Sligos Cancer Services)publication date Sat Apr 11, 2009 15:27author email saveourcancerservices at gmail dot comauthor address author phone

A huge thanks to everyone for yesterday.
The story and photos made the Independent, Irish times, Examiner, Daily Mail and the Star.

I wish we didnt have to depend so heavily on the media and their coverage but unfortunately thats always the case but this one is definitiely a victory, we got all the coverage we could have asked for and it thanks to everyone who came along and helped out.

Watch this space

A big thanks to James Connolly http://www.picsell8.com/ for letting us use his photos, mhes been more than generous with his time and skill since the start of the campaign.

Gathering on O'Connell street
Gathering on O'Connell street

I love the photo at the top of this 'hellish trinity', its not even Cowen but it may as well be
I love the photo at the top of this 'hellish trinity', its not even Cowen but it may as well be

Coming down the mall
Coming down the mall

Related Link: http://www.sligocentre.net
author by Killian McLoughlin - SCSS (Save Sligos Cancer Services)publication date Sat Apr 11, 2009 15:34author email saveourcancerservices at gmail dot comauthor address author phone

Forgot these photos

Again thanks to James http://www.picsell8.com/

The T-shirt says it all
The T-shirt says it all

The crowd reaches Sligo General
The crowd reaches Sligo General

Related Link: http://final-nail.blogspot.com/
author by Gerrypublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 00:13author address author phone

Brian might have been walking with the campaigners if he was it's only because he is running in the election , he has never attended any of the meetings of a Wednesday with the save our cancer campaigners , as for Matt Lyons he hasn't been seen in the last 5 years or attended any of the meetings either easy knowing there is an election coming they are all starting to come out of the woodwork. !

author by ned greenpublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 13:51author address author phone

Brian walked with the marchers last friday,and as he did at all other previous public events organised by the Campaign Group, he even met them in Brussells Because he genuinely believes in the retention of the Cancer Services in Sligo he said publically that the campaign should be non political,he outlined the dangers of certain politicians most notably on the Fine Gael side jumping on the bandwagon for purely selfish political gain,and he didnt intend to go down the same route as Perry ,Comny and especially Imelda Henry.After all like Fianna Fail who are a conservative right wing party,Fine Gaels policys are similar,If it moves Privatise It.Brian also was responsible for a motion which was passed at last years Green Party Conference supporting the retention of services in Sligo.When the party hierarchy later went against this to appease their Fianna Fail Masters,Brian resigned from the Greens unlike the local Fianna Fail TD,s Senators and Councillors who huffed and puffed and when it came down to the wire put party membership before peoples lives.

author by Helenapublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 17:31author address author phone

Local Fianna Fail representatives, particularly the Fianna Fail members of Government, can and must act to save the cancer services at Sligo Hospital.The T.D.'s should be ashamed to put their heads out the door. I would ask local Fianna Fail councillors not to support the Taoiseach in the Dail unless there is a change of heart on this," I also have no difficulty in saying Fianna Fail will close the services at Sligo General Hospital,"Campaigners have called on local Fianna Fáil TDs to “stand with the people who elected them . It is up to us the voters now to stand up for our cancer services , to use our votes wisley no cancer srvices no Fianna Fail votes.

author by markpublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 17:52author address author phone

I was walking through the North Ward today and l was delighted to see alot of the houses had up the save our cancer campaign leaflets in their windows , No Cancer services No Votes for government parties l thought it was brilliant to see. It is a Fianna Fail government who have let the people down badly by taking away these vital services it is time for the people to remember this when they are voting in the local elections

author by Kevinpublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 18:04author address author phone

I have attended the cancer campaign meetings from the start and the same cllr's are there every week Arthur Gibbons, Declan Bree , David Cawley and Sean Mc Manus every week more than 31 invites go out to Cllr's and Td's and yet not one of them could be bothered to turn up, l think FF have known all along what was going to happen Fair Do's to the 4 Cllr's that have attended all the meetings and shame on the cowards who have stayed away from the start.

author by Alanpublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 18:16author address author phone

I think that the people of the north west have totally been sold out by FF the local elections are only in a couple of weeks, l for one will never vote FF again neither will any of my family members that's 6 votes lost in our house . I wouldn't like to be a FF candidate knocking on people's doors .
It is beneath contempt every hospital should have cancer diagnostic cand treatment facilites centre of excellance is a bogus byword for downsizing and centralisation when the co located hospitals are built the services will be reintroduced for private paying patients and those that have private health insurance .

author by Taggerpublication date Thu Apr 16, 2009 22:28author address author phone


The Irish Medical Organisation annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry
This is a very interesting piece, and puts it up to the Government, when you are reading through this,could some of these horrors happen to Harney or her family members, or Wee jimmy from Sligo,NO it would not,how much of a kicking do we have to get before we waken up.

They are using Demoracy or a kind of Demoracy as a shield to force their right wing idiotic, ideology, on a nation.
And let us not forget the so called Greens are also complicit in this fiasco.
Gormley & Co.are lackeys of F/Fail making up the numbers,their ideology lies in electric cars not in Cancer services what a crowd of fruit cakes.

Dr Ruairi Hanley, IMO committee member, set the bitter tone with a fierce attack on policy, cutbacks and failings which have penalised patients.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eyaugbsnidsn/

author by Davidpublication date Thu Apr 23, 2009 00:22author address author phone

I beleive Jimmy Devins has been dropped as junior minister , thats how Brian Cowen rewards him for turning his back on the people of the North West l bet he is sorry now. !

author by ned greenpublication date Thu Apr 23, 2009 18:53author address author phone

Ive no sympathy for Jimmy Devins, since elected he has done absolutely nothing for Sligo,,he tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hound ,in the Dail both he and Eamonn Scanlon sided with the government and voted against the retention of Cancer Services in Sligo,their Senate colleagues Mark Mc Sharry and Geraldine Feeney did likewise putting selfish party interests before the lives of their constituents.Fianna Fail candidates in the upcoming locals should be reminded No Cancer Services ,No Votes,hurt them where it hurts at the ballot box.

author by Taggerpublication date Thu Apr 23, 2009 22:35author address author phone

Proves the point how Ireland has been brought into the gutter by this so called government, sad to say this but an Irish Human Being is now just a Commodity this is how the government views, and treats its citizens,shut up and put up and we love it.

Wee Jimmy a Gas man, the top has just come of his cylinder, no sympathy, you get what you deserve in this dictatorship.

author by Taggerpublication date Thu Apr 23, 2009 22:50author address author phone

The curious professional relationship between health minister Mary Harney and her husband, Brian Geoghegan, has raised quite a few eyebrows among friends, critics and colleagues over many years. Their paths have crossed in many ways not least during Harney's most recent terms as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and since 2003 as Minister for Health. Geoghegan's former position as Director of Economic Affairs for the employers' group, IBEC, meant regular, sometimes daily, contact with the enterprise and trade department while his more recent role as chairman of public relations consultants MKC Communications (previously MRPA Kinman) involved intensive negotiations with the health department on various matters

Read on it gets much better.

http://www.mediabite.org/

author by Jimmypublication date Tue Apr 28, 2009 21:24author address author phone

Cancer care services in sligo need to be kept because there is none in donegal and soon there might not be any in sligo that leaves galway to deal with all the cancer patients when it can just about provide adequate care for its own patients. people from donegal would have to travel to galway, recieve treatment and travel back which would result in a lot of strees and would not help cure the cancer.

author by Taggerpublication date Wed Apr 29, 2009 00:37author address author phone

I totally agree with you Jimmy as do thousands of other people, but Harney and this sick government, plus Prof Drumm of the so called HSE, do not,but we have an ideal opportunity with the local and european elections coming up to give them a proper kicking.

This Government acts with impunity which is a crime in itself, our Constitution (Bunreacht na hEireann) has been undermined by this government to suit thier own needs, how democratic is that?

Will any of Harneys,Biffos,OR Gormleys and many more of them in Dail Eireann,will their family members have to travel from near and far,for cancer treatment NO they will not so why should we.

Only for the taxpayers money that shower would be all on the dole and that would be to good for them.

But as I have said here before we love a good kicking and do they know it,lets get the French over here.


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