LIFFORD hospital campaigners will meet Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson David Cullinane tomorrow to discuss ongoing concerns about the unit’s closure.

Deputy Cullinane requested the meeting following the HSE’s announcement that the hospital has been closed to accommodate a major refurbishment. It will reopen as a short-stay and respite unit.

Initially the closure was for four to six months but it emerged last week that on further inspection, the renovations will be a “bigger piece of work” than originally expected.

The health authority said that in light of the development it is now unable to say when medical services will resume.

Speaking at the Friends of Lifford Hospital’s monthly meeting on Tuesday night campaigners highlighted a “complete lack of engagement” from the HSE in recent months.

“We used to have good communication with the HSE but over this last year it has become very difficult to get any information,” said the group’s chair John Quinn.

“Our position has not changed, we are still campaigning and we are still looking for information regarding when this work will finish and when they will reopen the hospital. All we want is an end date. Obviously in the current circumstances that date might have to be moveable but what we are asking for is a clear indication of when the work will be finalised and that the hospital will reopen again.”

The Friends group has repeatedly made the case that with some investment, Lifford could act as a spill-over facility for Letterkenny University Hospital which is under constant pressure due to the Covid crisis.

That suggestion will be put to David Cullinane when he visits Lifford tomorrow afternoon.

“We have a facility here that if they spent half a million euro they would have a step-down unit that would relieve the pressure on Letterkenny. To me it is a no-brainer,” said John Quinn.

“We have nothing but admiration for the staff not just in Lifford but in all our hospitals and if there are awards going they deserve them all.

The fact though is this – here you have a perfectly good hospital where there is nothing wrong with the building. Invest around half a million euro and you could have 20 or 30 beds. Imagine the pressure that would take off our general hospital in Letterkenny.”