Up to 2,000 people have attended a protest march in Limerick as part of a campaign to reduce hospital overcrowding in the midwest.

Organisers say they will take their campaign to the streets of Dublin, following the example set by farmers, if that is what it takes to achieve their aims.

The event in Limerick city centre was held by the Midwest Hospital Campaign group, made up of people from across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, who highlighted regular overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick.

On 9 January, 92 people were UHL awaiting admission to a hospital bed, the highest ever recorded in an Irish hospital, and 92 red flags were carried at today's march representing each of those patients.

The campaigners say that the downgrading of emergency departments in smaller hospitals in Nenagh, Ennis and St John's in Limerick has led to University Hospital Limerick regularly having among the highest numbers of patients awaiting admission to a bed.

Organisers hope the march will force a rethink of the decision over a decade ago to reduce emergency services in other hospitals.

Those marching shouted "shame, shame, shame" and "enough is enough" when the issue of people on trolleys at UHL was raised by speakers.

The march started outside St John's Hospital and made its way through the city centre before ending at Bedford Row.

