AN ESTIMATED 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED A PROTEST AGAINST THE DOWNGRADING OF A AND E  SERVICES AT ROSCOMMON COUNTY HOSPITAL IN BOYLE ON SATURDAY EVENING LAST. IT WAS ORGANISED BY BOYLE TOWN COUNCIL– BUT ONLY FOUR OF THE NINE COUNTY COUNCILLORS WERE IN ATTENDANCE.  THE MAYOR OF BOYLE SINN FEIN COUNCILLOR JANE SUFFIN ACCUSED HER FINE GAEL COLLEAGUES OF HAVING TURNED THEIR BACKS ON THE PEOPLE, SAYING THEY HAD “CRAWLED BACK UNDER THEIR ROCK” AND WERE UNABLE TO FACE THE PEOPLE.

ONE FINE GAEL COUNCILLOR HAD SAID SHE WOULD NOT BE ATTENDING BECAUSE OF THE ABUSIVE TACTICS USED AGAINST LOCAL FINE GAEL TD FRANK FEIGHAN.  MAYOR SUFFIN ERECTED A GIANT PLACARD OUTSIDE MR FEIGHAN’S BOYLE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE ON FRIDAY EVENING LAST CALLING ON HIM TO “RESIGN NOW”. SHE DENIED THAT SHE ABUSED THE DEPUTY.

MR FEIGHAN WHO IS ABROAD, SAID HIS MOTHER LIVED OVER THE OFFICE AND THE PLACARD HAD UPSET HIS FAMILY. HE ACCEPTED PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO PROTEST BUT SAID SOME OF THE TREATMENT HE HAD RECEIVED SINCE VOTING WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON TH HOSPITAL ISSUE HAD BEEN “PARTICULARLY NASTY.”