Reilly and Abbeyleix hospital action committee to meet

More than 5,000 people took to the streets of Abbeyleix today in opposition to the HSE's plan to close the local community hospital.

The HSE announced recently that it was shutting the facility because of a lack of finances, the recruitment ban and future HIQA requirements.

Local Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan told the demonstrators that he too wants the hospital to remain open.

He has organised for the Hospital Action Committee to meet with the Health Minister James Reilly.

Mr Flanagan said: "I want to invite the action committee and the public representatives to meet with Dr James Reilly on Wednesday next at the office of the Taoiseach.

"We will sit around the table and we will sort this out."