Thousands of protestors attended a rally in Navan, Co Meath today to protest against a reduction of services at Our Lady's Hospital.
Estimates placed the number of marchers at between 8,000 and 10,000. The protest follows the ending of acute and emergency surgery services at the hospital.
Protestors are concerned other medical specialities will be removed from the hospital and transferred to other hospitals in the northwest, requiring patients to travel longer distances.
However, clinical director of Louth/Meath Hospital Group, Dr Dominic O’Brannagain, said today no decision has been made to shut the hospital.