'Enough Is Enough' as Buncrana community to protest hospital refurbishment delay

Furious family members and friends of residents past and present of Buncrana Community Hospital are set to protest this Saturday at the latest delay to the redevelopment of the Nursing Unit. 

The demonstration comes after the latest news that essential renovation works at the hospital have been postponed once again, leaving families frustrated and deeply concerned about the future of care close to home.

Inish Theatre Group, who have organised the protest alongside families and friends of current and former patients, outlined that for many residents, the hospital is more than a medical facility. It is a place where parents, grandparents, neighbours, and loved ones have received care and dignity for the past 40 years. Continued delays mean families are increasingly faced with the prospect of having to move relatives miles away from the community due to a shortage of local places.

A spokesperson for Inish Theatre Group said, “This hospital means something to almost every family in Buncrana and across Inishowen. We cannot continue to accept delay after delay while our loved ones are forced further from home. Enough is enough.”

The protest will take place at the Buncrana Nursing Unit this Saturday at 4pm, with organisers encouraging the public to join them and demonstrate the strength of feeling in the community.

Inish Theatre Group is calling on families, neighbours, and supporters to join them in lining the paths around the nursing unit to show solidarity. “We want to show clearly that the people of Buncrana are no fools and that this service means everything to us. When communities stand together, they cannot be ignored.”

Family and friends of residents say the repeated delays are unacceptable. “After years of promises, we are now told the long-awaited works have been delayed yet again. Meanwhile, families in our community are being forced to watch their loved ones move miles away from home because there simply are not enough places locally.”

The organisers state that the protest is not just about a building but about the community, the families, and the future of care in Buncrana. “Let’s show the Government we are no fools, and what this service means to us. If we stay silent, nothing will change. If we stand together, they will have to listen. Buncrana deserves better. Our families deserve better.”

Construction was due to begin last June, but the work on the site never started. After a three-month delay, work was scheduled to commence in September, but it was delayed again until the first three months of this year, and now there is another stall. With work now not scheduled to begin until quarter three of this year, the works will be a full year behind schedule. 

When it is finally built, the single-storey extension will house six one-bed wards for residents. In addition, the single-storey extension will also include a waiting area and a visitors' room. It is also planned to convert the existing smoking room into a new day room for residents.

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In recent weeks, Donegal was allocated €35.98 million in funding for 24 major health infrastructure projects through the Health Service Capital Plan for 2026. Included in those projects was the refurbishment of Buncrana Community Nursing Unit, which was allocated €1,403,500.