2,000 protest at maternity unit closure

Nearly 2,000 people attended a rally in Dundalk this afternoon to protest against the closure of the Louth County Hospital’s maternity unit.

The North Eastern Health Board is waiting to hear from the Health Minister Michéal Martin, who was asked to intervene to prevent the closures of the maternity wings at two border county hospitals.

The NEHB will meet on Monday to discuss the fate of the two units, in Dundalk and at Monaghan General Hospital.

A spokesman for the Dundalk action group opposed to the closures told the rally today that because of the big turnout, an important round had been won in the battle to save the unit.

Councillor Martin Bellew said that the reality of the closure is now only been felt by some people.