Mr Donnelly hit out at the poor record of recruitment within the health service as well as the length of time it takes the HSE to build new buildings.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called for increased funding to make the Emergency Department in Our Lady's Hospital safe for the people of Meath

There has been strong opposition to the proposal to replace the hospital's Emergency Department with a 24-hour medical assessment and injury unit.

The president of the Irish Emergency Medicine Association said there is an "awful lot of exaggeration" as to the extent patients will be impacted by the hospital's Emergency Department changing to a 24/7 medical assessment and injury unit

The Sinn Fein leader addressed a public meeting in Navan on Monday evening.