Crowds of well over 1,000 people have marched through the streets of Ballinasloe this lunchtime protesting against the proposed closure of a 22-bed acute care mental health unit at St Brigid's Hospital in county Galway.

Those involved include members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association and the East Galway Mental Health Action Group.

Noel Giblin, National Secretary of the PNA was one of those who addressed a rally after the march in St Michael's Square in the town.

He told Galway Bay Fm that there is huge anger at the proposed closure of the unit which will put pressure on services that are already stretched at Galway's University Hospital and at Roscommon Hospital.

(Image: Luke Ming Flanagan TD @lukeming)