Up to 1,500 people protested outside Roscommon County Hospital today in opposition to the recent closure of the hospital's A&E department.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is likely to come under further pressure today after the Health Information and Quality Authority released a timeline of its reports on regional hospitals.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has today admitted that the decision to downgrade services at Roscommon hospital was made on the basis of a report into Mallow hospital.

The HSE has confirmed that HIQA inspectors have never visited Roscommon County Hospital, which was downgraded this week.

The Taoiseach has rejected calls on him to apologise to the people of Roscommon for promising not to downgrade the emergency department at Roscommon County Hospital.

Opposition parties are expected to turn up the heat on the Taoiseach in the Dáil today over his pre-election promise to retain the A&E department at Roscommon County Hospital.

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said changes will have to be made to how hospital services are delivered around the country.

Two Fine Gael councillors from Roscommon have resigned from the party over the controversial closure of the A&E department at Roscommon County Hospital.

The Accident and Emergency Department at Roscommon County Hospital will be replaced with an urgent care unit from today.