Letterkenny University Hospital 'neglected and underfunded'
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Sinn Féin TDs for Donegal, Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Deputy Pearse Doherty, have strongly criticised the decision to remove day-to-day spending powers from the HSE West-North West.
They warn that Donegal must not be punished for the Government’s failure to properly plan, fund and resource the health service.
HSE West-North West is believed to be among four HSE regions that are to lose power of day-to-day spending, with the government claiming they have been ‘overspending’.
Speaking today, Teachta Mac Lochlainn said: “Letterkenny University Hospital has been under enormous pressure for years. Our major hospital has been neglected and underfunded.
The same with all of our health services across Donegal. Be it mental health services, disability support services, older people’s services, or primary care in general, we don’t have anywhere near enough nurses, doctors and health care professionals to provide the care that our people need.
“This is the result of years of Government decisions and a failure to properly invest in our health service. We are playing catch-up in Donegal and the west of Ireland, and we cannot accept a government brake that will make our people second-class citizens”.
Teachta Doherty added: “HSE overspending is a direct result of the government knowingly setting them up to fail. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents made budget overruns a certainty when they allocated the same amount for health in 2026 as they did in 2025 despite unavoidable additional cost pressures.
“Overruns caused by bad budgeting can not be used as an excuse to strip away regional decision-making. Day-to-day spending powers should not be taken away from HSE West-North West. This is an unjustified move that will have serious implications for patients and frontline services in Donegal. It will mean a recruitment moratorium, and this is something which is absolutely unthinkable when you consider how many services are crying out for additional staff.
"Everyone knows that the budget allocated simply isn't enough to run the health services that we need. The unacceptable waiting lists that we see in Donegal are evidence of this. The people of Donegal must not be punished for the Government’s failure to properly fund and plan our health service.
"Sinn Féin will fight any attempt to use government failure as an excuse to remove regional decision-making, or implement a recruitment embargo or downgrade of services. Sinn Féin will have the backs of people affected by yet another disastrous government decision regarding health care."