FF members speak out against Monaghan Hospital plans

The Government is facing a revolt from Fianna Fáil members in Monaghan over its plans to downgrade the local hospital.

More than 2,000 people turned out for a public meeting in the town last night to voice their opposition to the plan.

Earlier yesterday, local Fianna Fáil TDs Brendan Smith and Rory O'Hanlon both spoke out against the downgrading, which is part of a plan to concentrate acute services in a number of centralised locations.

Robbie Gallagher, the Fianna Fáil chairman of Monaghan Town Council, is also against the move and said this morning that it was causing a lot of anger towards the Government.

He said local Fianna Fáil politicians were "just ordinary citizens with families like everyone else and we want as many services at our local hospital as we possibly can".