Gloves off as FG duo spar for votes

The gloves are off for two Fine Gael general election candidates in Galway West who have clashed over health.

Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar has become embroiled in a public spat between Senator Hildegarde Naughton and Deputy Seán Kyne over the impact a new ward at University Hospital Galway (UHG) will have.

Senator Naughton broke ranks with the party last week when she claimed the new 75-bed ward being built at UHG would result in no net increase on the hospital’s overall bed capacity.

The former city mayor said that three existing wards would close as part of the new €17.6 million development meaning, “not one trolley will be moved from a corridor and not one waiting list will be shortened.”

Senator Naughton added UHG is at “saturation point” and a new hospital at an alternative site in Merlin Park should be considered.

In a sign Fine Gael is feeling the heat locally about the state of the health services, her claims drew the ire of her party running-mate. Deputy Kyne said he was “disappointed and dismayed” to read his colleague’s statement that the new ward would not increase bed capacity. He said the statement was “disheartening” and “incorrect”. Deputy Kyne contacted Minister Varadkar for clarification, and the Dublin TD confirmed a U-turn.

Minister Varadkar, as per Senator Naughton’s statement, confirmed that the “original plan was that these would be replacement beds” but he indicated this was no longer the case.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.