Sinn Fein has demanded that the Government “get to grips with the health crisis”.
The call comes as the HSE launched a three-day recruitment drives for nurses and midwives at Dr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin.
However, Sinn Fein Health Spokesperson Louise O'Reilly says the Government needs to address the underlying causes of the failure to recruit and retain staff.
“Well, they need to improve the working conditions in the health service,” she said.
“They need to ensure that the health service is properly staffed, but also properly resourced.
“So when we look at the pressure that there is on A&E, the solution to that is to put investment into the community and into primary care, but that’s not happening.”