The Irish Patients' Association said today that it supports the Irish Nurses' Organisation’s call for additional nurses.
Spokesman Stephen McMahon said: "Urgent creative solutions are required before the situation deteriorates further. We have an average of 150 patients per day waiting on trolleys.
"The ERHA has issued a directive to open all non-acute beds and acute beds, so we have the money.
"What we don’t have is the nurses and these are going to take time to attract, recruit and retain."