POSSIBLE LOCATION…The Erne Hospital site
WHILE Fermanagh councillors are pushing for the headquarters of the new amalgamted council to be in Enniskillen, with the Erne Hospital a possible site, one West Tyrone councillor has suggested such a decision would be ‘putting the knife into Omagh and turning it’.
West Tyrone UUP councillor Ross Hussey believes Omagh is the best option and expressed his concern at talk of the Erne Hospital site.
“One of the suggestions was that Fermanagh District Council was looking actively at the site of the former Erne Hospital. Well clearly for somebody like me from Omagh who worked very hard on the hospital campaign if the council were to site their headquarters at the site of the Erne Hospital is that not putting the knife into Omagh and turning it?
“There’s no doubt for example St Lucia Barracks, which sits here in Omagh, which has a strong connection to Fermanagh, the home of the Inniskillings, the regimental headquarters for the Inniskillings would be a good option .
“That is a strong link that we would have with Fermanagh. I’m not playing Unionist Nationalist here but, an awful lot of Roman Catholics from Fermanagh came to Omagh to join to army and they joined through St Lucia barracks in Omagh so there is a strong connection with both towns and St Lucia Barracks. So if you want me to recommend a place for the new council I would recommend it in Omagh and I would recommend St Lucia Barracks.”
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