OBJECTORS citing religious grounds have succeeded in closing a vasectomy clinic in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, after it had opened for only two days.
The weekly clinic funded by the North Western Health Board started at Letterkenny General Hospital on Friday of last week. It was immediately picketed by three doctors who objected to the clinic on pro-life and religious grounds.
At a meeting last Thursday, health board members also objected to the clinic. The decision was taken to close it after yesterday's appointments. The clinic's future has been referred to a board committee.
The health board chairman, Mr Harry Blaney, said the clinic should be "suspended entirely on the basis that other services are very badly needed in the North Western Health Board".
The closure has been condemned by the local Fianna Fail TD, Dr James McDaid. He said it was ridiculous that religious beliefs should be brought into a situation where the welfare of people was uppermost in the aim of the health board authorities.
Two consultants among the three doctors who picketed the clinic would not speak to The Irish Times yesterday. But one, Dr Leo MacAuley, a consultant obstetrician, told the Donegal People's Press that the doctors were completely opposed to the unit because hospitals were supposed to be places where life was saved, "not taken away".
At Thursday's meeting, members of the health board expressed dissatisfaction with the establishment of the service at the hospital without the express approval of the board.
Condemning vasectomy as an "unChristian practice," a Leitrim councillor, Mr Larry McGowan said there were better ways of spending the board's money.