10,000 people protest at hospital plans

THOUSANDS of protesters have given an emphatic “no” to Health Minister Mary Harney’s controversial plans to downgrade services at South Tipperary General Hospital and at Co Galway’s Portiuncula Hospital.

An estimated 10,000 people made their views felt during a high-profile rally outside the grounds of the Clonmel-based facility at the weekend.

The protest, organised by the Save Our Hospital Action Group, took place after plans to significantly down-scale the facility were announced by health service management.