A local councillor has described the plans to withdraw cancer treatment from Sligo General Hospital as "a disgrace".
Cllr Paddy Conmy of Fine Gael said local politicians had to "stand up and be counted" to protect the services.
"This would all be sorted if the TDs in the west of Ireland would stand up and say 'we can't support this'," Cllr Conmy said, adding that the Government must listen to the protesters.
Last night, thousands of people attended a rally to protest at the downgrading of cancer care services at Sligo General Hospital. A second protest is planned for Dublin in the coming weeks.
A spokesman for local Fianna Fáil TD Dr Jimmy Devins said the Minster was "working hard to stress the case for keeping all cancer services in Sligo".
Dr Devins, who is Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and Mental Health, is meeting the national director of hospitals, Dr John O'Brien, next week..
Consultant Tim O'Hanrahan warned that the Health Service Excecutive's plan might put people off having treatment. He said the move would have implications not just for those with cancer but for the thousands who would now face an extra 160-mile trip from Galway to Sligo to get a diagnosis.