Sinn Féin TD for Cavan/Monaghan Pauline Tully TD has said that reports of the closure of the Maternity-Led Unit in Cavan General Hospital have sparked huge concern amongst midwives and prospective mothers throughout Cavan, Monaghan and surroundings areas and that urgent clarity is needed.

She said:

“Local reports I have received suggest that the Maternity-Led Unit at Cavan General Hospital will be merged with consultancy led maternity services, and if this is true then it is nothing short of a downgrading of maternity services in the region.

“Such action is contrary to the National Maternity Strategy and should not in any circumstances be considered.

“I have written to the Minister for Health and to the CEO of the RCSI Hospital Group seeking urgent clarification on this and I have voiced my opposition to any such merger.

“I am also aware that the IMNO have not been consulted on proposals to merge maternity services and they too are seeking a meeting with the RCSI to clarify the situation.

“Sinn Féin have a proud track record of defending service provision within our local hospitals and we recall the devastating implications of the removal of maternity services at Monaghan Hospital by a previous Fianna Fáil government.

“I will be working with my constituency colleague, Matt Carthy TD and our party’s spokesperson on Health, Louise O’Reilly TD to ensure that any proposal to downgrade maternity services in Cavan is categorically rejected.”