Councillors’ support for campaign

Independent Moyle Councillor Padraig McShane said: “It is clear that this is something that should be considered for the whole area but initially for Ballycastle, simply because that is where the pressure is on, where the hospital is under threat.

“It used to be in the health service that granny got sick, granny went in, granny got cured and granny went home again.

“Now it seems to be that granny could be lying on a hospital trolley for weeks on end. That’s the type of health service that we have because of cutbacks.

There’s real problems there. This approach looks like it could give the Minister the opportunity to support the Save the Dal campaign.”

Coleraine SDLP Councillor Maura Hickey said: “I am most aware of the support that Moyle council gave.

“My own husband has MS so I would hope that if it ever came to it he would be able to avail of this. I can see the necessity to support this and I think these are very positive proposals.”

TUV Councillor Sharon McKillop said: “I do think that new approaches are required.

“The closure of any health service with no alternative is wrong in my eyes - that has devastating effects.”