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COPY OF CARMEL WALSH’S SPEECH FROM PROTEST JUNE 27th. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have all had a stressful few weeks with one thought on our minds from morning to night, the health and well being of our children. No one likes to have to go to the airways, newspapers or national television, but, as we thought, it was the only way to shame our present government Mary Harney and the HSE into action. On Wednesday night, Teresa called and told me we where defeated by 72 votes to 67. My heart sank to my shoes, a chill went up my spine and my stomach turned. I lay awake recalling all the faces I seen in newspapers that week,] JAMIE MRPHY, DAKOTA RUDD, DEVINN BEHAN, SARAH DORNEY, JACK MCNIFF, EMMA LACEY, CONOR COUGHLAN,EMMA DOYAL, MARIA FROM CARLOW and of course my own daughter CAROLANN. And these are only a handful who depend on Our Lady’s Hospital for sick children, and who have shared there story with us. The following day by 2 pm we learned of the backroom dealing that had taken place by a government desperate to hold onto power. Instead of admitting the wrong they had done, by passing the book and passing the blame, they are hurting innocent children and families. We all know the promises that were made and it is up to each and every one of us to ensure they are kept. Thank you

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Our campaign wish to announce that on june the 27th at 2 pm we are holding a protest outside Our lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin.

We have been receiving verbal support from all over ireland but even though we are very grateful of the support verbal is not going to reopen a ward, verbal is not going to fix broken limbs on a child, it will not keep a theater from closing down . what we need is people power,
we need you to stand along side us as people power is what we need.
If our elderly could march for there medical cards than we can do it for our children. In the hse and governments eyes our children do not have a voice,
so we have to be there voice and make them Harney Cowen and Drumm wake up and hear that we the parents and family of children in Ireland will not sit back while you put a child's life in danger.

Minister herself did not speak on this issue but instead sent a Junior Minister to read a pre-prepared script.

peaking in an adjournment debate in Dáil Éireann Tuesday May 19th

Mary Upton TD“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the closure of wards at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. The decision to close the wards is totally misguided. The only outcome of the decision will be unnecessary pain and suffering for children, who will be put on the waiting list, and incredible stress for their parents. I am sure the Minister, like all other Members, has received the e-mails on this issue. If these e-mails are anything by which to judge, there is a huge level of anger and frustration. In my experience it is matched only by the reaction to the removal of the medical card from people over 70. There is huge annoyance at this decision on the part of parents not just in Dublin - as Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children is in my constituency I have a particular interest in it - but throughout the country, as the e-mails have made clear.”

“Closing the wards and reducing front line services make no sense. Over the past few years significant amounts of money have been invested in the hospital and various aspects of its service have been upgraded. What sense or logic is there in closing wards after recently investing substantially in the hospital? The consequence of closing the wards is that the sick children will either be forced into overcrowded wards or put on an extended waiting list, each of which is extremely unsatisfactory and most unfair.”

“The decision is yet another example of the right hand of the HSE not knowing what the left hand is doing. The HSE will probably argue that critically ill children will get the service and treatment they require. That is most welcome and one would hope nothing other than that would happen. However, it is not good enough for the small children and patients who suffer from illnesses such as scoliosis. I am sure all Members will have received e-mails on that issue as well. It is heart-rending to hear of the impact on and consequences for children if treatment is not put in place in a timely manner. Saying that critically ill children will get the treatment they need is another way of saying that many children who are ill will not get the treatment they require.”

“Everybody accepts that the HSE is facing serious budgetary problems but it is most inappropriate that the front line services being challenged are the ones that affect children. This should really be the last resort and not the first option, as it appears to be. The revelation today that the HSE spent almost €17 million on spin doctors and management consultants last year indicates that maintaining front line services falls well down on the list of priorities when allocating resources. The spend on public relations is totally unacceptable, particularly in the current climate and against a background of the closure of wards for the provision of services for sick children.”

“The details supplied by parents about the effects of the closure on their children are graphic and, in many cases, are clearly causing them huge distress. The fear factor alone is enough to prompt them to contact every Dáil Deputy to have the decision reversed. The loss of the service to the children is clearly the priority but there is also concern in my constituency about the secondary effect of job losses. This is also important, and people are very concerned about that risk. I urge the Minister for Health and Children to engage with Professor Drumm and the management of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, to reverse the decision. I will not list the possible areas where savings could be made, as there are many and it is not important now that these are identified. What is important is that the decision to close the wards is reversed straight away. The hospital must be given the go-ahead to reopen these