Defending Minister Dempsey

Dear sir, I could not agree with Mr Brophy’s letter in last week’s Meath Chronicle on Minister Dempsey’s legacy. History no doubt will judge Mr Dempsey as a great Meath politician of courage and consequence whom over the past 33 years has delivered for Meath. I agree Navan Town is empty, but on balance this is due to rateable valuations set by our local councils, which unfairly are applied on shop size rather than cash turnover. I also agree that the M3 is empty but it is needed to increase the economic competitiveness of Meath as a national transport corridor into the future. I fully agree an honest assessment of all options to tackle the unfair closure of Navan Hospital must include the sale of our state forests, airports, harbours and semi state bodies. This would prevent the unfair closure of Navan Hospital and commence the construction of the new regional hospital. Under Brendan Drumm, the HSE splashed out £3 million on various spin doctors. Details show also that the HSE skill programme allowing HSE officials to go on holidays worldwide, to the tune of £60 million. We know the HSE is spending hundreds of thousands of euro on senior managers in the new paediatric hospital, despite the building likely never to be built. So, similiar to 1976, to coincide with the hospital march, county Meath should 'close down’ all its business for an hour on 30th October (between 3pm - 4pm) to put in perspective the level of support from the many communities of people of Meath to save our hospital. Mr Dempsey is a worthy representative of the Meath people and no doubt will redouble his efforts on the unfair closure of Navan Hospital. Yours, Gerard O’Brien, Whistlemount, Kells Road, Navan.