Candlelight Vigil organised to mark closure of St. Columcilles A&E

Wicklow and Dún Laoghaire Sinn Féin have organised a candlelight Vigil to coincide with the closure of the 24 hour A&E in St. Columcilles Hospital, Loughlinstown. The Vigil will take place on Wednesday 27th November outside the hospital at 5.30pm.

Speaking ahead of the planned closure Wicklow Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady said "Unfortunately the closure of the 24hour A&E in St.Columcilles Hospital will proceed on Wednesday 27th November. Sinn Féin will hold a candlelight vigil to coincide with the cut to the critical service and the vigil will start at 5.30pm. On Wednesday the doors of A&E will finally be slammed shut in the faces of the 21,000 people who on an annual basis use the service, they will be then asked to travel the extra distance to the already over whelmed St. Vincent's Hospital". 

The Killiney/Shankill Sinn Féin representative Shane O'Brien said "Wednesday will see the completion of the Labour Party sell out of the ordinary people of South Dublin and Wicklow. Prior to the last election the Táinaiste Eamon Gilmore stated that if elected he would ensure the hospital was upgraded as a regional hospital. Unfortunately again we have another broken promise from Labour, only this time they are going even further and closing the A&E altogether".

Councillor Brady concluded "The people have fought hard over the last 18months to retain and upgrade the A&E. Those appeals have fallen on deaf ears, both Anne Ferris and Eamon Gilmore got elected on the back of the false promises they made regarding saving the A&E. They are both culpable for the closure of the A&E and they will ultimately be held to account by the people of Dún Laoghaire and Wicklow".