A rally has taken place in Waterford this afternoon, as the campaign continues to protest for a permanent cardiac care unit in the region.
It was announced yesterday that Waterford would be getting a mobile cath-lab within weeks, but the South East Patient Advocacy Group says while the mobile lab is welcome - 24/7 cardiology services in the South-East is the real problem.
Sinn Fein's David Cullinane is among the protestors backing today's demonstration - he says the Southeast is the only region without full emergency cover.
Thousands turned out for the rally in Waterford, with protesters coming from all across the South-East. Gardaí estimate around 5,000 people took part in the protest through the city centre while organisers put the figure around 8,000.
Speaking about the rally, Cullinane said that those in the area "deserve to be treated the same as any other part of the country."
He also aid "All we're demanding is that we have the same level of access, the same of level of services and that means 24/7 cardiology services in the South-East and in the University Hospital Waterford. "
Huge turnout in #Waterford for #CathLab protest. #SouthEast #LivesMatter #24/7 #CardiacCare pic.twitter.com/fyjEmwslF0
— Julie Ward (@julieward2_ward) January 14, 2017
Cullinane says that a mobile temporary cath lab is not the solution to the current situation. He said "it's only a temporary solution to a permanent problem."