Loughloe campaign takes to streets again

"We want to say to people we are still here and Loughloe House must stay open," the words of Tommy Connaughton, the Chairperson of the Save Loughloe House Action Committee this week, as he urged the public to keep the issue on the agenda and support another protest to save the facility from closure. Kicking off at 12pm, the march, on Saturday, will start from St Peter and Paul's Church and proceed through the town to St Mary's Square. It's the third march to take place on the issue since the closure announcement was emerged in early May. A number of speakers and prominent campaigners are expected to address the crowd at the conclusion of the demonstration. "We really want to make this a big protest. There are 14 people down there (Loughloe) who are determined not to move and we want to show them the people of the town are backing them," Mr Connaughton says. "There are adamant they are not engaging with the HSE. The HSE cannot throw them out on the road, they have a duty of care," he adds. Last Thursday, the group again put to their case for the decision to be reversed at the HSE Midlands-South Leinster Forum in Naas, and met with Joe Ruane and Gerry Dwyer from HSE Although well received by the politicians on the forum, the HSE again reiterated its intention to close Loughloe House and are not for turning on the issue. Far from being downbeat as a result of the latest meeting, Tommy said i made the group more determined than ever to keep Loughloe House open. "We want to show some of the negative politicians sitting on the fence that we are alive and kicking and, god help them come the next general election," the action committee chairperson concludes.