UP TO 5,000 people protested in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, at the weekend over plans to cut jobs and close beds at the local general hospital.
Protesters waving placards marched through the town for the Save Donegal Health Services rally. They marched to the hospital to voice their anger at Health Service Executive plans to make more than €8 million in cuts.
Among these will be the loss of more than 120 jobs as well as possible ward closures and a reduction in many other vital services.
The protest was led by the Mayor of Donegal, Cora Harvey of Sinn Séin, who said people must stand together if they are to fight the cuts.
“The staff and patients of Letterkenny General Hospital cannot be allowed to fight these savage cuts alone. We are sending a message to Dublin – enough is enough,” she said.
Many frontline staff, who have not served more than five years at the hospital, are in line to be laid-off.
The staff, some frontline nursing staff, were called into their section manager’s offices and told their contracts were not being renewed without any notice.
The public in Donegal reacted with anger to the cuts and organised yesterday’s march.
Among the many voluntary groups represented was the Friends of Letterkenny General Hospital and the Irish Kidney Association.