From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 4, 1992

From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 4, 1992

2 November 2022

DOWNPATRICK –The Downe Hospital receives less money than virtually every other acute hospital in Northern Ireland, it was revealed this week.

Just over £6.2m is spent on the Downpatrick hospital putting it in 18th position over of the 19 acute hospitals in the Province. Only the Moyle Hospital in Larne gets less money, latest figures reveal.

Heading the list are the two major Belfast hospitals, the Royal Victoria (83.5m) and the Belfast City (53.6m) while the other Easter Board acute facilities, The Ulster, Musgrave Park, Mater, Lagan Valley and Ards hospitals all receive considerably more than the Downe.

The  figures also show that the Downe, although receiving substantially less money, treats a similar number of patients as six better resourced hospitals, the Mater, Lagan Valley, Ards, South Tyrone and Erne hospitals.

The statistics compiled by the Department of Health, were revealed this week by the Down Community Health Committee and will form part of a submission which will be presented to the Board later this year.

The committee chairman, Mrs Denise Fitzsimons, said the figures prove that the Downe Hospital has been subsidising inefficient service in other parts of the Eastern Board area to the detriment of acute hospital services in the Down District area. 

She also said the figures prove that the Downe is the most cost-effective acute hospital in Northern Ireland according to the Department’s own figures.

“These figures confirm what we have been telling the Eastern Health Board for the past eight years,” she said. “The Downe and Downpatrick Maternity Unit are between 40 and 80 per cent cheaper than other comparable hospitals in Northern Ireland.

“This illustrates there has been a consistent and concerted effort to restrict expenditure on the Downe and Downpatrick Maternity Hospitals,” added Mrs Fitzsimons.

ARDGLASS – Improvement work to increase safety standards at Ardglass harbour is expected to be completed before the end of the month, it has been revealed.

Over £2m has been spent on a 60 metre quay extension at the south pier which will provide the village’s fleet with much needed protection during stormy weather.

And it has emerged that if facilities at Ardglass had not been upgraded, the existing pier would have collapsed within 10 years.

The scheme has been designed to give vessels greater protection during high seas which run into the harbour, with the seaward side protected by a breakwater.

The improvements will also provide additional berthing space for local and visiting fleets.

The work, which also involved the provision of rock armouring to reduce the force of high seas which wash over the harbour walls in severe storms, was carried out by the Dromore firm of John Graham and Sons, under the direction of the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority.

NEWCASTLE – A closed-down residential home in Newcastle could become the town’s newest hotel, following a move by the DHSS to make the building more appealing to investors.

Navan House on the Tollymore Road, which was operated by the Southern Health Board as a short-stay home for mentally handicapped patients, is now being promoted as a potential site for a new hotel in the resort.

In an unusual move, the Department of Health and Social Services is seeking outline planning permission for conversion of the building into a hotel.

But the department, which announced its intention to close Navan House in January, is not planning to embark on the  project itself. Instead, it is hoping that the granting of planning permission for a hotel will increase the building’s attractiveness to potential private sector buyers.

“Navan House has been declared surplus to requirements,” said a DHSS spokeswoman, “and now we are trying to maximise the return on the property.”

Navan House ceased operations shortly before the summer, after several years of declining use by the Southern Health Board. At one time it provided holiday accommodation for 20 patients but in the final months it was used as an annex for mental health facilities based in Armagh.

The new planning application to convert the now-empty building into a hotel is only a proposal in principle, and no details of any alterations or potential development have been put forward.

SAINTFIELD – Plans for a working steam railway museum at Saintfield are back on the rails, it was revealed last week.

The Belfast and County Down Railway Museum Trust has been told that land between Saintfield and Ballynahinch which it had previously been unable to buy, is now up for sale. 

The land, which as the site of the former Ballynahinch Junction Station, could cost up to £20,000 and if the Trust is able to raise the money it could mean a second railway museum in Down District.

However, the Trust has revealed it is also investigating the possibility of developing a portion of line between Comber and Dundonald but that only one of the projects will get the go ahead.

“It simply boils down to which of the two communities is willing to come forward with the support to claim this development for their area,” said a Trust spokesman this week.

“The Trust has two possible options, but in order to be able to successfully develop either of them, we will need to raise the funding necessary to secure the land required for either of them,” he added.

BALLYNAHINCH – Members of Ballynahinch Chamber of Commerce are expected to reaffirm their opposition to the introduction of car parking charges at tonight’s monthly meeting.

They are also expected to call for an urgent meeting – possibly before the end of the month – with senior DoE officials to ask why the proposed traffic management system for the town has not yet been introduced.

Chamber president, Mr Billy Alexander, says the present situation in the town is “chaotic” as all-day parkers are refusing to use the Lisburn Street car park because of access problems in the evening.

He said local residents and traders were “up in arms” over the number of abandoned cars and revealed a petition, calling for the new traffic system to be introduced as soon as possible, was currently being signed and would be presented to the DoE.

“The Chamber agreed to the introduction of a new traffic management scheme for the town, but nothing positive has been seen on the ground.

“The present situation is an absolute mess. People are parking their cars anywhere and everywhere and something must be done,” he declared.

Chambers members are also expected to map out a strategy on the way forward for the once-thriving market town when they meet with DoE Roads Service officials.

“Local councillors have been asked to attend tonight’s meeting and they will be briefed on what we believe is the way forward,” said Mr Alexander. 

DARRAGH CROSS – Michelle McGreevy, from Darragh Cross, is rapidly becoming the queen of Ulster table tennis – at the tender age of 13.

The teenager sensation once again left her opponents in a spin at the weekend when she carried all before her to pick up yet more major honours.

On Friday, Michelle partnered ace Welsh girl Natasha Williams in a combined Wales and Ulster team which won the Forward Trust B international at Loughside Recreation Centre in Belfast. 

And on Saturday, Michelle turned on the style in winning the Class 3 crown in the Ulster Open championships which were held at Avoniel Leisure Centre. 

A child protege, Michelle first picked up a table tennis bat at the age of seven. Success was not slow in coming.

During the past six years, she has twice won the British Schools title, the West of Scotland Open and numerous Irish and Ulster titles. Now ranked the top U-14 and U-17 player in Ulster, she is also Ireland’s top cadet.

But Michelle is not the only McGreevy to star on the table tennis scene. Dominic, her eleven year old brother, is also tipped for greatness.