The motion condemned the recently announced proposals to the Minister for Health, which seek to close Maternity wards in three hospitals in the South East region, including Maternity services at Wexford General Hospital.

The motion, put by County Wexford Sinn Féin Press Officer, David Forde, an employee at Wexford General Hospital, condemned the proposals contained in the draft report of the Task Force on Medical Manpower, set up by Health Minister Micheál Martin.

David Forde said: "The Maternity Ward at Wexford General Hospital serves the County very well and already operates at full capacity, this includes the Special Care Baby Unit for pre-term and high risk infants. Any proposal to centralise this service to Waterford Regional Hospital, must and will be strongly resisted."

Speaking on the motion, which was passed unanimously by delegates from Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and Wicklow, Sinn Féin Councillor John Dwyer said:

"The very suggestion that high risk mothers in County Wexford should be forced to undergo an additional 45 mile car journey, through the traffic gridlock in New Ross, in order to effect some cost savings for the Department of Health, is to be deplored.

"The tragic death of baby Bronagh Livingstone in County Monaghan should have served as a stark wake up call to the Minister for Health on the consequences of downgrading acute Hospital services.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that the lives of women and babies would be put at risk in this manner and I will be contacting Sinn Féin TD's in Leinster House, this week to raise this matter with the Minister for Health."