Longford Local Elections 2024: Longford health hub a priority for Martin

Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Martin Monaghan, is seeking a second term on Longford County Council. The self employed butcher, who works alongside his father Christy in the family business on Earl Street, has worked hard to make his mark in his first term.

In 2021, he called for an Apprenticeship College to be established in Longford.

Cllr Monaghan, who describes himself as hardworking dedicated and straight talking, called for the council to work with the Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board and Solas to develop a training centre.

Recently, Cllr Monaghan called for the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to make Longford a priority.

“Sadly I personally don’t think we are ever going to have a hospital in Longford, but I do think what we need are ‘satellite hubs’. I have been informed that the government is going to open up new hospitals in Connolly, Crumlin, Cork and Limerick - why not Longford? We are slap bang in the middle of the midlands,” he stated.

“We have St Joseph’s out on the Dublin Road and they are spending some money on it now but I think they need to do what they’ve done in Roscommon - they have a fabulous A&E Department there and I am confident we can reproduce that here.”

In the past twelve months, Cllr Monaghan served as Cathaoirleach of Longford Municipal District. He is currently Chairperson of Clonguish GAA.