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| Dalriada hospital: Public meeting to protest at cuts | Dalriada hospital: Public meeting to protest at cuts |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Up to 1,000 people have gathered in Ballycastle, County Antrim, to protest at cuts to Dalriada Hospital. | Up to 1,000 people have gathered in Ballycastle, County Antrim, to protest at cuts to Dalriada Hospital. |
| The MS unit will close at the end of November until March next year, as part of cuts to the health service. | The MS unit will close at the end of November until March next year, as part of cuts to the health service. |
| Local people fear it would effectively mean the closure of the hospital. | Local people fear it would effectively mean the closure of the hospital. |
| The MS unit is Northern Ireland's only dedicated respite centre. More than 4,000 people in Northern Ireland are affected by MS, one of the highest rates in the world. | The MS unit is Northern Ireland's only dedicated respite centre. More than 4,000 people in Northern Ireland are affected by MS, one of the highest rates in the world. |
| Families caring for loved ones with MS and other serious conditions say they are fearful of what will happen. | |
| Marian McGarry, who cares for her husband, said she was worried. | Marian McGarry, who cares for her husband, said she was worried. |
| She said: "If my husband can't get respite, which he would have been getting in Dalriada, if I take ill what's going to become of him? | She said: "If my husband can't get respite, which he would have been getting in Dalriada, if I take ill what's going to become of him? |
| "In times in the past when I've been ill, he was able to come in and have respite until I recovered." | "In times in the past when I've been ill, he was able to come in and have respite until I recovered." |
| The MS Society in Northern Ireland has previously said it was "deeply concerned". | The MS Society in Northern Ireland has previously said it was "deeply concerned". |
| The Northern Health Health Trust said the decision was made as part of its financial rebalancing programme and insisted no jobs would be lost as a result of the closure. |