Portlaoise residents are expressing their concerns over the future of the Midlands Regional Hospital there after HIQA’s latest report saying that significant risks remain.

The health watchdog has published a progress review calling on the HSE to clarify its plans for the future.

HIQA praised the improvements that have been made at the hospital’s maternity unit, but said that risks remain in the Emergency Department and critical care services.

Chairperson of Portlaoise Hospital Action Group, Kathleen O’Brien, said that the hospital has been consistently under-resourced.

“They didn’t put the money into Portlaoise Hospital,” she said.

“We are a Level 3 hospital and we were not funded for a Level 3 hospital.

“What they’re trying to do is make us a Level 2 hospital, and a Level 2 hospital would mean then we’d have no 24-hour A&E service.”