Sinn Féin to stage dozens of events in a national Day of Action on healthcare on Saturday 13th May
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP is in Dublin today for a series of engagements in Dublin North West and Dublin West with Councillor Dessie Ellis and Councillor Felix Gallagher. During the visit Mr. Adams will visit the Ballymun Health Centre and meet with members of staff and union officials in James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown. Last week Mr. Adams met with staff in Louth County Hospital and Navan Hospital. Tomorrow he will be launching the party’s health campaign in Wexford.
In the Ballymun Health Centre at 2pm today Mr. Adams will announce details of dozens of events and protests which the party will be holding in a Day-of-Action on healthcare on Saturday 13th May.
Mr. Adams said:
“On Saturday next, May 13th, Sinn Féin activists and supporters from across the entire island of Ireland will participate in a Day-of-Action on healthcare. From Donegal to Kerry, from Dublin to Galway, republicans will undertake a series of public events and protests to highlight the crisis in Healthcare provision on this island.
“We are calling on people not just to complain about the health services
but to campaign and to demand the decent, equitable and efficient services
that we need.
”While there will be
a focus on healthcare provision in rural areas in the Six Counties the
main focus of the protests will be in the 26 Counties, where the
crisis in healthcare delivery has developed an almost runaway momentum
of its own that is fuelled by the Government’s reckless
pro-privatisation policies.
”Saturday’s
Day-of-Action, involving almost 50 protests, is but one part of a
wider campaign on Health initiated by Sinn Féin last week with the launch
of our comprehensive Healthcare Policy Document, Healthcare in an
Ireland of Equals. The campaign will include the distribution of
hundreds of thousands of newsletters, leaflets and posters. It will be
brought to every county and will form a central part of Sinn
Féin’s political priorities for the coming year.
”The message Sinn Féin will be delivering to people across the
island is a simple and realistic one. We believe that healthcare can
and should be provided on the basis of need alone not on your ability to
pay. We believe it should be paid for through a fair and progressive
system of taxation and be free to all at the point of delivery. We
absolutely reject the current system that favours the private
healthcare sector, which serves a privileged minority, against the
interests of the majority.
”This state
is a very wealthy state. It can afford to improve dramatically the
provision of healthcare delivery to every man, women and child. But it
is clear that that will only be achieved if we have a change of
direction from this government or a change of government.
“We will be asking people to join with us in demanding that change. We are demanding that this government live up to the ideals of the 1916 Proclamation and to reverse policies which cherish the health of some of the children of the nation “more equally” than others. The time for rhetoric is over – the time for action is now.”ENDS
Sinn Féin Health Day-of-Action – 13th May 2006
Munster
CORK - Cork City: Protest and street theatre at Daunt Square, 3pm, incorporating demand for A&E and ambulance service on Cork’s northside. Mallow: Protest outside town hall against down grading of Mallow Hospital, 11am. Clonakilty: Protest at Astna Square, 3pm
WATERFORD - Waterford City: Distribution of leaflets in city centre, 3-5pm
KERRY - Tralee: Distribution of leaflets in town centre, 1-3pm. Killarney: Distribution of leaflets, town centre, 1-2pm.
LIMERICK - Limerick City: Stall in city centre, 2-4pm.
TIPPERARY - Thurles: Distribution of leaflets in town centre, 1-2pm. Nenagh: Distribution of leaflets in town centre, 1-2pm. Clonmel: Picket in town centre at 1pm “Upgrade health services in south Tipperary”
CLARE - Ennis: Distribution of leaflets in town centre, 1-2pm. Shannon: Distribution of leaflets in town centre, 1-2pm.
LEINSTER
LOUTH - Dundalk - Picket and leafleting @ Louth Hospital, Dundalk 1-2pm and at shopping centres between 2pm-4pm. Drogheda - Picket and Leafleting the Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda from 1-2pm
WEXFORD - Wexford Town - whiteline Picket and leafleting - 3pm.
Gorey, Enniscorthy Town and New Ross leafleting and pickets 2-4pm
WICKLOW - Wicklow Town, Bray and Arklow – leafleting throughout the day
MEATH - Ashbourne, Navan and Trim - whiteline picket and leafleting in main shopping centres in from 2-4pm.
LONGFORD - Picket and leafleting at Longford Shopping Centre 1-2pm
WESTMEATH - Picket and leafleting at Athlone Hospital 1-2pm. Leafletting on Mullingar Main Street 1-2pm
CONNAUGHT ULSTER
MONAGHAN - 10.30am, Church Square, Monaghan Town, for leaflet
distribution
CAVAN - Leafletting in Cavan Town
DONEGAL - Donegal Sinn Féin will participate in a major rally in Letterkenny on Sunday 14th May commencing at 2pm from Market Square organised by Donegal Action for Cancer Care.
GALWAY - Galway City – protest at UCG 11am-1pm and petition signing on Shop Street 2pm-4pm
SLIGO - Petition signing on O’Connell Street 2-5pm
MAYO - Breast Check protest outside Castlebar Hospital 1.30-2.30pm
SIX COUNTIES
Sinn Fein will hold a meeting in Dungannon on Saturday which will bring together activists from across the Six Counties to launch a campaign prioritising rural health issues.
DUBLIN
Dublin events will begin in the City Centre at the GPO - O’Connell Street at 11am with a protest attended by Sinn Féin’s MEP, TDs and Councillors from across Dublin.
Clondalkin - Picket at Mary Harney’s constituency office. Main Street Clondalkin
1pm to 2pm
Donaghmede - Picket and Leafletting - Donaghmede Shopping Centre 12:30pm
Coolock - Picket and Leafletting - Northside Shopping Centre - 2pm
Phibsboro - Stall and Leaflet drop Phibsboro Shopping Centre 2pm
Dun Laoghaire - Picket at Loughlinstown Hospital - 12pm and leaflet drop and Street Theatre Dun Laoghaire Main Street at 1.30pm
Tallaght - Picket at Tallaght Hospital 1pm - 2pm
Dundrum - Picket and leafletting at Dundrum shopping centre 1pm - 2pm
Dublin South East - Launch of constituency health survey
Crumlin - Picket and leaflet dropCrumlin Shopping Centre - 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Ashleaf Shopping Centre - Picket and leaflet drop - 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Ballyfermot - Picket and leaflet drop - Tescos, Upper Ballyfermot Road 12.30pm to 1.30pm