FROM health to infrastructure, investment to jobs, Fermanagh has always been at the back of the queue, but the people of the county will not tolerate the neglect any longer.
That’s the message from the ever-growing campaign movement building in the county, and it will be the focus of a series of articles in this paper over the coming weeks.
Set up in response to the life-endangering removal of emergency general surgery from the SWAH, the Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) group remains focused on that mission.
However, through their work, its volunteers have been racking up the evidence of the many other ways the people of the county are being abandoned and forgotten.
“We are uniquely focused on making sure we have equal access [to emergency surgery] – and only equal access, not better than anyone else, the same as everybody else – and we are determined to see that re-established and strengthened,” said a SOAS spokesman.
“However, while we are determined to do that, you cannot help but notice Fermanagh is being neglected.”
They pointed to the loss of jobs, such as with the closure of the BT Contact Centre which employed 300 local people, as well as the omission of Fermanagh from the all-Ireland rail plan as notable examples.
Other areas of neglect include roads and public transport, access to emergency care and mental health support – the list goes on and on.
“There is a wilful neglect of this area, but Fermanagh will not be forgotten,” they said. “We are determined to address it, to stand up to it, and to fight back.”
The most recent example of ‘Forgotten Fermanagh’ has been in the publication of Stormont’s draft Programme for Government, which is currently out for public consultation, according to SOAS. The closing date is November 4.
Noting the draft programme had “nothing for Fermanagh”, SOAS is encouraging the local community to respond to the consultation to have their voices heard.
“The consultation does not fit Fermanagh. It’s not designed to discuss Fermanagh issues, it is not in any way helpful to the Fermanagh population,” said a SOAS spokesperson.
Health, and particularly emergency care, is among the areas where the draft programme lets the county down.
“There is no mention of any medical conditions other than waiting lists,” said the spokesperson.
“Of course, you would like to see waiting lists to go down, but that should not be instead of addressing the question about emergency surgery.”
Another area SOAS highlighted was left out of the programme is the environment.
“There is a section in it that talks about the environment and it focuses uniquely on Lough Neagh as if Lough Neagh is the only major lake in the province. We have one, the green algae exists down here as well,” they said.
“The foresight is limited in the document, so therefore again it doesn’t represent Fermanagh.”
Farming, mental health, the crisis in emergency care and primary care – with the GP shortage predominantly impacting rural areas such as Fermanagh – and infrastructure and public transport, are among the other areas where the experience of Fermanagh residents has not been considered in the document.
SOAS has provided templates on its Facebook page for locals to replicate when submitting their responses to the consultation.
They are urging people to respond by email, explaining the questions in the consultation do not reflect the issues here.
“You need to let them know your views in a plain email. Make sure that it’s going to count,” said the spokesman.
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