Fermanagh and Omagh District Council are to convene an emergency meeting over the ongoing situation around the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), and have requested that the Western Health & Social Care Trust’s Chief Executive, Neil Guckian, is in attendance.

In addition, members have requested that details are not discussed in closed session – as demanded by Mr. Guckian during a Health and Social Care Subcommittee meeting last month – with the Council’s Chief Executive, Alison McCullagh, feeling that some content heard confidentially would have been “helpful” if disclosed in public.

The special meeting was proposed by Councillor Stephen McCann, Sinn Fein, who said: “As a local government authority, are we doing all we can and could we be doing more?

“We should call an emergency meeting with a one-item agenda, and invite the [Western] Trust Chief Executive and his team to listen to the concerns of this Council.  It’s that serious, and merits such an action.”

Seconding, Councillor Adam Gannon, SDLP, welcomed the suggestion but added: “The Health Subcommittee meeting went confidential very quickly, and a lot of members and the public were watching who were very confused. It worried people.

“I ask [that] for this meeting, everything is put in the public domain, and we let the [Trust] Chief Executive know he has to speak publicly, not just give a statement and go into confidential.

“It’s accepted there may be some specifics which may identify staff, and that’s understood, but I ask it is made clear to the Chief Executive that it cannot go into confidential unless for very, very specific reasons.

“The majority of discussions need to be public.”

Councillor Matthew Bell, Ulster Unionist, was strongly in support and asked if this could be incorporated into the proposal, to which Councillor McCann replied: “I agree in principle, and fully understand and support the reasons. But can we precondition [that] the meeting should be held in the public domain?”

The Council’s Chief Executive, Alison McCullagh, advised a desire could be expressed for as much as possible of the discussion should be held in public.

Referring to the Health Subcommittee meeting, she continued: “The [Western Trust] Chief Executive wanted matters primarily relating to Human Resources not be disclosed in public.

“We could re-state the concerns raised, but I don’t think we can direct the Trust to discuss [all matters] in public.

“We can say the Council expects as much as possible is disclosed in public.”

She continued: “In my opinion, some matters discussed  confidentially would have been helpful if in the public domain.

“But if we condition it, we run the risk of the meeting not proceeding at all.”

Democratic Unionist Councillor Errol Thompson supported Mr. Guckian and his team attending an emergency meeting, but stressed there were reasons some confidential matters at the Health Subcommittee meeting were confidential.

Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh, CCLA, welcomed “any mechanism to highlight this issue”.

He continued: “The days when closed meetings were deemed acceptable are rapidly coming to a close. People are looking for transparency from government that they’re not getting.

“We’re looking at a potential existential threat [to services at the SWAH] and we are having meetings where things aren’t being disclosed.”

Independent Councillor Eamon Keenan told members it wasn’t only concern but anger that the meeting went confidential, pointing out: “There was some information which could have been in the public domain. The public want accountability and transparency.”

Councillor Bernice Swift, Independent, proposed contacting the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health, which was seconded by Councillor Emmet McAleer, Independent.

Councillor McCann said: “This council doesn’t do business behind closed doors for the sake of it – there are times when we go into committee, and there’s rationale for that.

“I’m up for open and transparent debate. It’s very, very important this meeting happens, and as much of it is held in public as possible.”

Concluding, Councillor Victor Warrington, Ulster Unionist, requested the Western Trust Board Chairman Sam Pollock also be invited to the meeting, as: “He seems to be an individual who is never in the public domain, but obviously has a lot of standing.”

Members were in full agreement with all proposals.