DATE CHANGE: 2nd Public Meeting to save the GE22: Monday 7th, 8pm, Gullane's Hotel

Hello everyone,

We have decided to change the date of our meeting in order to best facilitate attendance by public representatives. The committee is making contact with as many of our public representatives as possible to encourage them to attend.

The meeting will take place in Gullane's Hotel on Monday 7th at 8pm. If we have public representatives in attendance, it's really important that we have as many people there as possible, so here's how you can help us: 

• If you're on facebook, please Share the event, or hit attending if you're coming - this will encourage others to attend. You can find the event here.
• You can also like our facebook page here. 
• If you're on twitter, follow us, tweet during the meeting and use the #GE22 hashtag to show your support. You can find us on twitter here.
• Ask your friends and family to do all of the above (this is an especially great way to get younger members of our community involved - this is their community too and we need their voices).
• If you know anyone who wants more information on what's been going on, direct them to this blog - all our news coverage is constantly updated here. 

Thank you everyone for all your support!

GE22 Team

Second Public Meeting: Wednesday October 2nd

Hello #GE22 supporters,

There will be a second public meeting over the closure of the 22 acute psychiatric unit in Gullane's Hotel in Ballinasloe at 8pm on Wednesday October 2nd.  At this meeting a delegation will update the public on the most recent efforts to save this unit, including the meeting last week with Minister Kathleen Lynch.

We've got a facebook event set up to help you spread the word, and we'll be reminding our supporters to attend via our facebook page and our twitter feed.

Spread the word, save our hospital!

GE22 Team

September Coverage (regularly updated)

In order of date, here is whatever coverage of the #GE22 issue we've been able to find online.

19/09/2013 - "Consultation to begin over closure of Ballinasloe unit", Galway Bay FM, author unknown

18/09/2013 - "Deputation meet Minister over plans to close Ballinasloe psychiatric unit", The Connacht Tribune, author unknown

16/09/2013 - "HSE to use €2.8m mental health unit for offices", The Independent, reported by Brian McDonald.

16/09/2013 - "Protest at closure of acute psychiatric unit in Ballinasloe", IMPACT, author unknown.

15/09/2013 - "Thousands march over mental health unit in Galway", The Irish Times, reported by Brian McDonald

15/09/2013 - "Hundreds protest against Ballinasloe Psychiatric Unit Closure",  The Journal, reported by Christina Finn.

15/09/2013 - "Protestors march against proposed closure of mental health unit in Galway", Newstalk, author unknown.

15/09/2013 - "Protest begins against plan to close hospital acute ward", Breaking News, author unknown

15/09/2013 - "Over 1,000 protest in Ballinasloe at proposed closure of acute psychiatric unit", The Connacht Tribune, author unknown.

15/09/2013 - "Protest over Ballinasloe psychiatric unit closure", RTE, author unknown.

15/09/2013 - "Massive turn-out expected for march to save mental health unit", The Connacht Tribune, reported by Ciaran Tierney

14/09/2013 - "Ballinasloe protest over planned closure of psychiatric unit", Galway Bay FM, author unknown.

14/09/2013 - "Protest over closure of acute mental health unit in Co. Galway", The Irish Times, author unknown.

14/09/2013- "Public March on Sunday in Ballinasloe over proposed closure of St. Brigid's acute mental health unit", Midwest Radio, author unknown.


Reports with audio/ Podcasts

16/09/2013 - "Ballinasloe Hospital Closure Protest", Today with Seán O'Rourke, RTE Radio 1, report by Valerie Cox.

16/09/2013 - "Ballinasloe community vow to keep unit open", Shannonside FM, author unknown - includes audio from a service user's father.

16/09/2013 - "Over 200 support Ballinasloe Rally", Shannonside FM, author unknown - includes audio of Noel Giblin, National secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association.

15/09/2013 - "Protestors gather at Ballinasloe mental health unit", Midlands 103FM Radio, author unknow, includes audio of TD Denis Naughten.

10/09/2013 - "TD: Unit closure will increase pressure on EDs", Shannonside FM, author unknown - includes audio of TD Denis Naughten.

#GE22 on RTE News and The Journal.ie

Hey everyone,

We are delighted with the turnout for the protest today. It's great to see that so many of us are willing to fight to protect mental health in our community. Thanks to Padraig Mulligan (IMPACT), Dr. Aonraí Finnegan (local docotor), John McDermott (Roscommon Hospital Action Group), Noel Giblin (PNA), Bishop John Kirby, Mike Kelly (Mayor of Ballinasloe), Mike O'Reilly (Parent of service user).

We were also happy to see RTE news report about the protest - let's hope they stay with us and keep an eye on this crucially important issue. You can watch it here (5:01- 7:10),  and you can see the article posted on the RTE website here. The Journal.ie also posted an article today after the protest, you can read it here.

Don't forget to join us on facebook and twitter (and if you're tweeting, please use the #GE22 hashtag).

Thank you to everyone for your continued support.

GE22 team

Hey folks!

Online networking sites are a really important part of our identities nowadays - our profile pictures are often the exact pictures we want to show people who we really are. So if you support the cause of the Galway East 22, changing your profile picture to the picture above will go a long way towards getting the conversation started - and keep it going until we have the 22 beds we so sorely need for people who are acutely unwell.

Thank you!

GE22 team

On twitter @galwayeast22
On facebook.com/eastgalway22

August Coverage

Here are some publications that gave the issue of the closure of this unit some coverage, ordered by date. Click the title of the article to read the post.

30/08/2013 - "Ballinasloe Locals to Protest at Bed Closures", The Athlone Advertiser, author unknown

27/08/2013 - "Community seeks to save Ballinasloe mental health unit", The Irish Times, reported by Brian McDonald

21/08/2013 - "Junior Minister joins the chorus to stall closure of Ballinasloe's psychiatric facility", The Connacht Tribune, reported by Ciaran Tierney

20/08/2013 - "Minister says closure of Ballinasloe psychiatric unit was premature", Galway Bay FM Newsroom, author unknown

16/08/2013 - "Protest against St. Brigid's bed closures", The Galway Independent, reported by Lorraine O'Hanlon

14/08/2013 - " "Complete act of Nonsense"", The Galway Independent, reported by Marie Brennan

9/08/2013 - "IMPACT seeks LRC concilation on Ballinasloe bed closures", IMPACT Member's E-Bulletin, author unknown

9/08/2013 - "Ballinasloe acute psychiatric unit to close by end of year", The Athlone Advertiser, reported by Finian Coughlan

8/08/2013 - "Mental health unit to be closed after €2.8 million spent to make it the best in Ireland", The Irish Mirror, reported by Sarah Bardon

7/08/2013 - "Ballinasloe closure branded a 'stitch up'", The Galway Independent, reported by Marie Brennan

Reports that include audio/Podcasts 

16/08/2013 - "Ballinsloe protest over mental health unit", Shannonside FM, author unknown - includes audio of Cllr. Dermot Connolly (SF)

Please drop us an e-mail on galwayeast22@gmail.com if you've noticed any omissions.

Thanks for reading!

GE22 team