Up to 1,000 people attended a meeting yesterday, after rumors that Portlaoise Hospital may be downgraded began to emerge.
It is understood that a plan submitted by the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group specifies that Portlaoise’s A&E department will cease to operate on a 24 hours basis in the near future.
In response to the rumors, Laois TD Sean Fleming has said that “Portlaoise A & E department had about 40,000 people attending last year.
“It is the single busiest A&E department outside of the cities in Ireland.
“It makes no sense to curtail the service whatsoever.
“If you curtail it to a 9-5pm service you won’t have an A&E department for the busy maternity unit I have already spoken about at night-time or the very busy paediatric unit.”