More than 2,420 hospital appointments cancelled in the North West

In the first three months of this year, more than 2,420 appointments were cancelled at Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals.

These cancellations reportedly include people who needed surgery for various illnesses.

Reasons given include overcrowding, epidemics and staff shortages.

In Sligo there were more than 1,140 in the first three months of this year, while in Letterkenny the figure is almost 1,280.

Nationally, more than 50,000 patients have had their surgeries, procedures and appointments cancelled during the same period.

Local Fianna Fail councillor Edel MacSharry says behind every cancellation there is someone seriously affected: