LARGE areas of south Kildare could be greatly impacted by the proposed downgrading of the emergency department at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

The proposal by the HSE to downgrade the A&E department has met with concern from neighbouring communities like Monasterevin, Kildangan, Nurney, Kilberry and Athy. Around 30,000 patients annually visiting the department and local meetings have been organised to voice concern over the move. The HSE’s proposal would see the A&E department at Portlaoise hospital open from 8am to 8pm daily.

The move to curtail services was announced this week is response to the HIQA report at the hospital, published last month, which drew attention to very serious concerns around the safety, quality and standards of services provided.

A public meeting will take place in the Arts Centre in Athy at 8pm tonight (Tuesday) and a second meeting is being held in St Peter’s school in Monasterevin at 8pm on Thursday.

Athy’s Sinn Féin councillor Thomas Redmond has set up the Save Portlaoise facebook page which has already received more than 6,000 likes.

“Two thousand leaflets have already been dropped around Athy about the matter and 99% of the people I speak with are saying that the downgrading of services will be detriment to the people of Athy. We know Naas is already at bursting point,” he said.

Cllr Martin Miley said he believes the move would be “absolutely devastating to the entire community”.

“We are hearing on a daily basis of the seven-hour delays in A&E services in Naas hospital. Does our wonderful minister think that these delays and lying on trolleys is going to improve because it closes an A&E in another hospital just like our bus services,  other rural  services have been reduced they are now targeting our hospitals. Nothing is safe.”