The Portiuncula Maternity Alliance (PMA ) is inviting members of the public from across the region to walk with them at this year’s Ballinasloe St Patrick’s Day Parade in a show of support for safe maternity care close to home at Portiuncula University Hospital.
The parade takes place on Tuesday, March 17, and supporters are being encouraged to join the PMA group as they take part in the celebrations while highlighting the importance of maintaining accessible maternity services for families throughout the wider region.
For generations, Portiuncula has welcomed babies from a wide rural catchment area including Galway, Roscommon, Westmeath, Longford, Leitrim, Offaly, North Tipperary and North Clare. Many people living in these counties today were themselves born at the hospital, while others have welcomed their own children there.
Organisers say the St Patrick’s Day parade provides an opportunity for the community to stand together and demonstrate how important the hospital remains to families across the region. The issue of maternity services at Portiuncula has recently come under national scrutiny and is due to be discussed at the Oireachtas Health Committee.
The concern arises from proposed regional healthcare changes affecting maternity services in the area. Campaigners say the changes could mean that some expectant mothers who previously would have received care locally at Portiuncula may instead have to travel significantly longer distances to other hospitals, placing an additional travel burden on pregnant women and their families.
The Portiuncula Maternity Alliance says the parade will provide a positive and visible opportunity for the community to express its support for properly resourced maternity services close to home.
Join on the Day
Members of the public are warmly invited to walk behind the Portiuncula Maternity Alliance float as a show of community support.
Assemble: Fairgreen, Ballinasloe at 1.30pm. Parade starts: 2.00pm
Supporters are particularly encouraging anyone who was born in Portiuncula, or whose children were born there, to come along and take part.
For generations of families across the region, Portiuncula has been where new life begins. The walk offers an opportunity for the community to stand together and support safe maternity care close to home for future families.
