The protest kicks off on Sunday.

Residents of Bantry and the surrounding area are planning to protest the circumstances they are currently facing regarding Bantry General Hospital.

The hospital currently has just one consultant physician, as others are absent through retirement and personal reasons.

Resultantly, the Bantry public has been asked to “consider other care options” — forcing many of those with acute illness to make the journey of over an hour to Cork University Hospital. Others have been forced to wait hours for an ambulance.

A protest has been organised for 1pm Sunday in Bantry Square.

Local doctor Paul O’Sullivan said: “The people of Bantry are taking to the street this Sunday at 1pm to save our hospital. The hospital has been unable to accept patients over the last week because of no consultant being available and people have to travel to CUH is putting life’s at risk due to journey times.

“The speedy care that people receive in Bantry hospital is saving lives and the staff there are truly amazing CUH is already over crowded and this has made matters even worse for them. The latest information is that a consultant won’t be available until September.

“The people of Bantry, West Cork and Kerry feel let down and ignored ,we must stand up and be counted our amazing ambulance service has been under pressure before this happened is now under severe strain.”