Protest to take place at Loughlinstown Hospital

A protest is due to take place outside Loughlinstown Hospital in Dublin this afternoon against the downgrading of services at the facility.

The 24 hour emergency department will be reduced to a day time minor injuries unit.

People Before Profit - who are organising the demonstration - say the cut will put extra pressure on services at St. Vincent's Hospital.

"We need to put enough pressure on the Government to force them to back off," TD Richard Boyd Barrett said.

"And to remind certain Government politicians in the Dun Laoghaire and Wicklow constituencies that the had promised to protect Loughlinstown."