Laois General Hospital Committee may run a "hospital candidate" in the next General Election over loss of breast cancer services at Portlaoise General Hospital.
An advisory committee set up by the Minister for Health has made it clear to the board members, who come from Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath, that its preferred option is for a central unit of excellence to be set up in Tullamore, Co Offaly.
This could mean an end to the pioneering work which has been going on at Portlaoise General Hospital since the early 1980s - and longer journeys for women seeking treatment.
Later this month Laois General Hospital Committee is to meet to decide when it will hold another public march to highlight "once again the injustice being done to Portlaoise".
The committee has said there is strong support for running a hospital candidate in the next election.
The last meeting of the Midland Health Board was adjourned, leaving a final decision on the location of the breast cancer services issue unresolved.
However, the balance of probability on the retention of the service in Portlaoise has shifted with the Co Longford representatives, who initially supported a dispersal of cancer treatment, now backing a central service in Tullamore.
The cancellation by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, of a visit to Portlaoise hospital a month ago, has angered people in the area and was yet another indication that Laois may lose its unit.
Hospital candidates are not new in Irish politics. The late Roscommon/ Longford TD, Mr Tom Fox, was elected on a core vote generated by opposition to the neglect of Roscommon hospital.
The importance of having a decent health service has not been lost in that constituency. Mr Philip Reynolds, son of former Taoiseach Mr Albert Reynolds, spoke on the subject at the Fianna Fail Millennium Conference in Longford.
Political observers there say he was effectively throwing his hat into the Fianna Fail election ring when he made his speech.
The conference passed a motion supporting a Longford town cumann call that the selection convention to replace the former Taoiseach, who is stepping down at the next election, be held this month.
If this happens, a local councillor, Mr Peter Kelly, who for many years was an adviser to Mr Reynolds, should have an advantage in the race for the nomination for the vacancy.