Mr Black stated:
“It is extremely cynical for the politicians to provide the centre with only 3 months’ funding. They don’t want people to see the reality of their cuts before the election. The cut in funding has already seen the cost to the cost double for some parents! This just isn’t affordable for parents on low incomes. Already, some parents have had to cut back on sending their child to Playzone. The centre couldn’t even afford an Easter party for the kids!”
“It’s clear that the politicians aim to close the centre when the election is out of the way- they cannot be relied upon. It was the protest action by staff and parents blocking the road that got the politicians’ attention when the cuts first came on the agenda. To secure proper funding, a democratic campaign which links the workers with parents and the wider community needs to be built.”
The Accident and Emergency services at the Mid-Ulster Hospital in Magherafelt and Whiteabbey Hospital in Newtownabbey closed in May. Now all patients in the Northern Trust area have to travel to the Antrim Area Hospital. The Antrim Hospital was widely accepted to be under immense pressure before these closures. The situation will deteriorate further now, with even longer waiting times for casualty treatment and even more patients spending hours or days on trolleys. Prior to this latest cutback the Northern Trust had halted more complex surgery at the Mid-Ulster Hospital and Whiteabbey Hospital and concentrated it at the Antrim and Causeway Hospitals. Both smaller hospitals are no longer acute hospitals, dealing with a full range of illness, and accessible to the surrounding population.
Picket: Confederation of British Industry NI Luncheon