South Roscommon FG chair leaves party over hospital issue

The Chairman of South Roscommon District Executive of Fine Gael has resigned from the party in protest at the ongoing Roscommon hospital controversy and the lack of reassurances on the future of the A&E services at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. At a special meeting last Thursday in Brideswell to discuss developments in the party since the summer, Tomas Beades tendered his resignation as chairman and a member of the party, ending a near 14-year involvement with Fine Gael as an activist even though he has not yet turned 24. "I felt I was left with no choice," he told the Westmeath Independent this week. "On reflection I have made the right decision. Maybe I should have done it earlier. We were getting nowhere with headquarters. It's now up to the organisation there to push forward to get answers for what happened in July, in terms of the treatment of Denis Naughten, the closure of the A&E in Roscommon and, more importantly now for people in South Roscommon what the future is for Portiuncula," Mr Beades stated. He maintained that the people of Roscommon have long memories when it comes to health and the party will be severely damaged come the next general election. "I personally don't believe there is a strong enough vote in Roscommon/South Leitrim at the minute to return one Dáil Deputy," he predicted starkly. He also confirmed his departure as the Roscommon representative for the superdraw, the party raffle, and as Secretary of Brideswell branch of Fine Gael. Speaking of what led him to completely sever his links with the party he has been involved since the tender age of nine, the South Roscommon man said at every juncture he has sought assurances about the future of Portiuncula Hospital in the wake of the Roscommon A&E closure, but none have been forthcoming, something he said he cannot accept. He also hit out at the party headquarters who treated long-standing members with "contempt" over the hospital issue. "Fine Gael in my judgement were not delivering on what they promised as an honourable and decent party. They have let the people of Roscommon down. A lot of Fine Gael people feel let down but it's about them respecting my decision," he maintained. "I delivered letters from James Reilly in Roscommon town before the election (guaranteeing the future of the A&E in Roscommon). I feel now the only honourable thing to do is step down. The main reason is not the letters, but the way Denis Naughten was treated and the way they went about closing Roscommon (A&E) and the treatment of us as members," he said, adding that a lot of the party faithful were angry that letters and requests for meetings to party headquarters went unanswered in the wake of the hospital controversy. "I felt it was time someone made a stand... I think the general reaction is that we're all sorry it's come to this losing a long-serving Dáil Deputy like Denis Naughten. It's now up to Fine Gael headquarters and Frank Feighan to step to the mark that Denis Naughten always has in Roscommon to ensure services promised for Roscommon hospital come." He expressed the hope that his stand might make party headquarters and figures within Fine Gael to sit up and take notice of what is happening in the Roscommon/South Leitrim constituency, where he said the anger over the withdrawal of A&E services in Roscommon is worse than ever. Of what the future holds for him outside the party fold, Mr Beades said he has a some big community projects in the pipeline, details of which will be announced in the months ahead. He said he is also looking forward to promoting Roscommon as a tourist destination.