Leo Varadkar: There are dozens of people every day on trolleys for more than 24 hours
The Health Minister Leo Varadkar says elderly patients waiting more than 24 hours on a trolley is a regular occurrence.
Mr Varadkar was responding to the case of a 91-year-old Parkinsons' sufferer who had to wait 29 hours before being given a bed.
He has also admitted that the situation is likely to get worse during the winter.
However, Minister Varadkar says he and the HSE are working on the problem.
He said: "Unfortunately somebody being on a trolley for more than 24 hours is not an isolated incident.
"There are dozens of people every day on trolleys for more than 24 hours and most of them are elderly because most people in hospital are elderly.
"The focus obviously has to be on solutions and we're driving forward as best we can providing more beds and staff, more support and primary care. All these things we are doing and we are going to press ahead with that."
