Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to get a commitment in writing that these services will not be downgraded during the lifetime of this Government. It would be good if the people of County Meath could get that because I think it would allay an awful lot of the fears they have. Those are genuine fears. You never see so many people come together than when it is to do with a hospital.

Another reason we are here is the HSE. It will not give any information, and not just to me. When radio stations, including our local station, LMFM, do not get information from the HSE, that creates fear.

I heard the Minister of State, Deputy English, on the radio this morning. He stated that there will be no downgrading of services. Navan hospital needs an expansion of its services, not a downgrade. If there is any downgrading of the accident and emergency service and the ICU in Navan, we will be left with no option but to take to the streets again. We will not let the HSE take our accident and emergency department.

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