The Western Health Board (WHB) has been accused of "shirking its responsibilities" over the future of Galway Hospice, which has been closed to all patient admissions since last May.
Ms Mary Tierney, spokeswoman for the newly formed Galway Hospice Association, said the health board was "hiding behind" several reports which had been commissioned after the hospice was effectively closed.
A review of clinical issues is due to be presented to Galway Hospice Foundation next week, and a separate investigation by the WHB in relation to "non clinical" issues is still continuing.
The Galway Hospice Foundation review, described as "independent", was commissioned after the palliative consultant employed by the WHB, and attached to the hospice, stopped referring all new admissions to the hospice on May 5th due to concerns over clinical issues relating to patient care.
Currently, one of the 12 beds in the unit at Renmore is occupied, and the hospice's home care and day care services are continuing.
Some 20,000 signatures demanding that the hospice be reopened have been collected by the Galway Hospice Association, which was formed at a public meeting in Galway last night.
The Mayor of Galway, Progressive Democrats Cllr Terry O'Flaherty, is due to lead a protest organised by Glór, a community-based voluntary group in Connemara which has been established to voice the concerns of patients and families.
"Terminally-ill patients, who would ordinarily be admitted to Galway Hospice, are being treated in University College Hospital in overcrowded wards, while 11 state of the art beds lie empty in Galway Hospice in Renmore," Glór said yesterday in a statement.
