The problem of overcrowding in our emergency departments is getting worse, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) warned today.
Figures released today show there are currently 412 people waiting on trolleys and chairs in hospitals around the country, awaiting a bed.
The INMO said that many hospitals are now in "crisis", including Naas General Hospital in Co Kildare.
"I expect Naas to get worse," INMO industrial relations officer Derek Reilly told Kfm. "Naas was in absolute crisis over Christmas."