#Hospital overcrowding

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

Launch of three Women's Health Fund projects
Hiqa to carry out fresh assessment of CUH after safety concerns
An additional Hiqa review of Cork University Hospital is to be carried out amid concerns over staffing and patient safety, although consultants continue to seek a separate independent inquiry

Fri, 30 Oct, 2026

Winter Flu Stock
Hospital overcrowding crisis: Almost 100 patients wait more than 24 hours on trolleys
HSE figures show 720 patients awaiting beds nationwide, while Cork University Hospital faces staffing delays and pressure to open 21 additional beds

Fri, 30 Oct, 2026

INMO figures show almost 800 patients without hospital beds after bank holiday weekend
INMO figures show almost 800 patients without hospital beds after bank holiday weekend
"It is not acceptable that something as ordinary as a bank holiday weekend can result in this level of risk for patients and staff," INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said. 

Tue, 27 Oct, 2026

Cork, Kerry and Limerick hospitals see biggest rise in emergency department demand
Cork, Kerry and Limerick hospitals see biggest rise in emergency department demand
An internal HSE report shows emergency department demand rising sharply in the south-west as disputes over staffing, spending and patient safety continue

Sat, 24 Oct, 2026

Man with planet earth in hands
Irish Examiner view: Climate change death statistics are terrifying
According to research published in the journal 'Nature Health', more than 50,000 people died prematurely because of the high temperatures in 854 European cities between June and August

Sat, 24 Oct, 2026

Hospitals across Cork and Kerry record 10% rise in patients attending emergency departments
Hospitals across Cork and Kerry record 10% rise in patients attending emergency departments
Hospitals saw 88% rise in the number of days temporary surge beds were needed to manage demand for patients in crisis

Fri, 23 Oct, 2026

Waiting seats for patients in the hospital
S Fergus Finlay: Government’s failure to lead is to blame for public sector strikes
A public sector strike now will be more than a failure of negotiation. It will be a failure of government and a failure of leadership

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

HSE has bypassed 'last obstacle' to planning for long-delayed elective hospital in Cork, TD says
HSE has bypassed 'last obstacle' to planning for long-delayed elective hospital in Cork, TD says
Colm Burke said final agreement has now been reached by the HSE with all landowners, allowing a new access road to be built and a planning application to proceed

Thu, 08 Oct, 2026

Hospital Hallway with Doctors, Nurses and Specialists in Hospital. Female and Male Physicians, Surgeons, Healthcare Officials Wa
More than 12,000 patients treated in ‘inappropriate locations’ in Irish hospitals in September
The INMO is calling on the HSE to publish its winter plan and recruit additional staff ahead of the seasonal surge

Thu, 01 Oct, 2026

Medical Insurance Concept With Family And Stethoscope On Wooden Desk
Rural Ireland Thinks: Half of those surveyed had two-day wait to see GP
Also, 24% of respondents to the Ipsos/B&A poll for the 'Irish Examiner' have cancelled or reduced private health insurance

Fri, 18 Sep, 2026

Industrial strikes
The 'just do it' model of leadership isn't delivering for patients or consultants
The president of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, Professor Gabrielle Colleran, outlines how the HSE can avoid consultant burnout from excessive workload while patients no longer wait more than six weeks for excellent care

Tue, 08 Sep, 2026

CUH staffing tensions persist amid calls for 'honest conversation' on health funding 
CUH staffing tensions persist amid calls for 'honest conversation' on health funding 
Health minister pushes back after Cork University Hospital staff and management unite to press for reform — while Ifac highlights its earlier article about 'bad budgeting' of health spending

Thu, 27 Aug, 2026

stretcher
High level of hospital overcrowding persists ahead of busy winter season
Questions have been raised about the potential impact of the heatwaves in increasing patient numbers and the readiness of the system for this

Wed, 26 Aug, 2026

CUH crisis: Nurses back hospital chief executive's concerns over staffing levels
CUH crisis: Nurses back hospital chief executive's concerns over staffing levels
INMO highlights 100 nursing vacancies at CUH and over 80 midwifery vacancies at CUMH

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

CUH boss says hospital 'unsafe' for patients amid shortfall of over 1,000 staff
CUH boss says hospital 'unsafe' for patients amid shortfall of over 1,000 staff
Jennifer Kearney tells HSE official of 'increasingly bureaucratic processes' and 'prolonged suppression of recruitment'

Wed, 19 Aug, 2026

Closeup a wooden thermometer against green foliage showing high temperature
Heatstroke may be contributing to hospital overcrowding in Ireland
Almost 9,500 people aged 75 or over waited longer than 24 hours to get a hospital bed this year 

Fri, 07 Aug, 2026

Hospital Hallway with Doctors, Nurses and Specialists in Hospital. Female and Male Physicians, Surgeons, Healthcare Officials Wa
Advertising creates 'strong international interest' in doctors' and nurses' roles in Ireland
Doctors' jobs in Ireland attract the most interest from Pakistan, the UK, and US, while nursing roles are most popular with applicants in India

Thu, 06 Aug, 2026

Hospital corridor with gurneys
Fresh concern over UHL overcrowding as 65 patients wait more than 24 hours for beds
Patient advocates have warned against telling people to avoid University Hospital Limerick after new figures showed it had the highest number of patients waiting more than a day for a bed

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

Record July overcrowding sees 10,300 patients left without hospital beds
Record July overcrowding sees 10,300 patients left without hospital beds
University Hospital Limerick again the country's most overcrowded hospital amid warning that figures are a 'huge red flag' for winter

Fri, 31 Jul, 2026

Hospital Hallway with Doctors, Nurses and Specialists in Hospital. Female and Male Physicians, Surgeons, Healthcare Officials Wa
More than 1m people on were hospital waiting lists in June, figures show
The largest group is again people waiting for their first hospital appointment with a consultant of any kind

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Patients in a Waiting room
Medicine is changing as patients get older and sicker
Our emergency departments are under pressure as we see increasingly complex cases — only working together can make this sustainable, writes Professor Adrian Murphy 

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026

Last month was the worst for patients on trolleys since 2022
Last month was the worst for patients on trolleys since 2022
More people were on trolleys waiting for a hospital bed last month than any June since 2022 during the pandemic, new figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show.

Wed, 01 Jul, 2026

Rotunda Hospital row
ieExplains: Why is the health minister so critical of HSE South West? 
Controversy erupts after Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked why she should fund further beds around Cork when beds in Mallow are lying empty

Sun, 28 Jun, 2026

A hospital trolley
S Fergus Finlay: No socket, no pillow, not an extra blanket to be found — my night in A&E
The health service is in many ways as good as any in the world — but when it isn't, it's for stupid, unnecessary reasons, writes Fergus Finlay

Tue, 09 Jun, 2026

CUH theatre nurses set for ballot on industrial action
CUH theatre nurses set for ballot on industrial action
The INMO will ballot members in Cork University Hospital’s theatre department amid concerns over staffing shortages, hours owed, and what it described as unsafe working conditions

Wed, 27 May, 2026

Team of medical staff in personal protective equipment walking in hospital corridor
'Doctors have gone into work day after having a miscarriage because teams are so short-staffed'
Unions tell health committee how staff shortages directly impact doctors facing personal tragedies

Wed, 20 May, 2026

Patients in 'inhumane' conditions at UHL due to overcrowding
Patients in 'inhumane' conditions at UHL due to overcrowding
Privacy and dignity issues aired amid concern that plans for a new Limerick regional hospital will be put on back burner until smaller hospitals improve

Tue, 12 May, 2026

Cork ICU nurse: It’s a very stressful, sad place to work at times
Cork ICU nurse: It’s a very stressful, sad place to work at times
CUH nurse calls for better supports for nurses working in ICU units

Mon, 11 May, 2026

'Serious risks to patients remain' at University Hospital Limerick, doctors warn
'Serious risks to patients remain' at University Hospital Limerick, doctors warn
The risks include severe overcrowding and an excessive number of patients waiting on trolleys for hospital beds, cared for by exhausted staff

Mon, 11 May, 2026

HSE chief defends €127k spend on bike shed at Kerry Hospital
HSE chief defends €127k spend on bike shed at Kerry Hospital
HSE chief executive Anne O’Connor also acknowledged 'the reality of hospital overcrowding' to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation conference today

Fri, 08 May, 2026

Nurses moving patient on stretcher in hospital
'My back is gone, my hips are gone, my knees are gone,' says former emergency department nurse
We’ve had children in our emergency department as admitted patients waiting on beds for up to 24 hours

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Last month was worst April for hospital overcrowding in 20 years of recording trolley numbers
Last month was worst April for hospital overcrowding in 20 years of recording trolley numbers
'The levels of stress and burnout we are seeing here should be considered a national crisis,' said Phil Ní Sheaghdha

Wed, 06 May, 2026

Hospital Hallway with Doctors, Nurses and Specialists in Hospital. Female and Male Physicians, Surgeons, Healthcare Officials Wa
Hospital overcrowding hits record April high with 11,175 patients on trolleys, INMO says
Union warns staffing shortages and system pressures are driving rising trolley numbers despite relatively mild conditions across the health service

Fri, 01 May, 2026

nurses in the hospital corridor
Overcrowded hospitals leaving nurses 'running on fumes', says INMO
'We used to be shocked when we saw 500 patients on trolleys in the middle of winter, but we’ve never seen over 500 patients daily in the spring, coming into the summer.'

Tue, 21 Apr, 2026

Hospital corridor with gurneys
'Extremely concerning': More than 3,400 patients on trolleys in the past week
Also, data from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that 765,848 people were on hospital waiting lists across the country at the end of March

Tue, 14 Apr, 2026

A mother's quest for truth: Seven years since Eve Cleary's death
A mother's quest for truth: Seven years since Eve Cleary's death
Family still looking for 'full investigation' into daughter's death Eve Cleary, seven years on

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Patient care
Delayed discharges ‘frightening’, Labour says as pressure mounts on hospitals
Opposition raises alarm over sustained rise in delayed discharges, warning of growing pressure on emergency departments and older patients

Sat, 04 Apr, 2026

More than 11,000 patients spent night on hospital trolley in March - INMO
More than 11,000 patients spent night on hospital trolley in March - INMO
1,701 without bed at University Hospital Limerick, 939 at Cork University Hospital, and 924 at Sligo University Hospital

Wed, 01 Apr, 2026

Hospital paid almost €500k to two firms run by HSE doctors to tackle waiting lists
Hospital paid almost €500k to two firms run by HSE doctors to tackle waiting lists
An audit also found consultants on National Treatment Purchase Fund projects were paid a fee per patient which is not how HSE salaries or overtime rates normally work

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Midwest Hospital Campaign want judicial review of planned site for new hospital in Limerick
Midwest Hospital Campaign want judicial review of planned site for new hospital in Limerick
The preference of the campaign group was to have this second hospital in Clare or Tipperary

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

New HSE Mid West hospital plan 'must progress without delay'
New HSE Mid West hospital plan 'must progress without delay'
Doctors and trade unions welcome the commitment to build on the Raheen 44-acre site, and say momentum must continue now

Wed, 11 Mar, 2026

On the ground at the proposed site of the Mid-West's new hospital
On the ground at the proposed site of the Mid-West's new hospital
This site will be one of Ireland's largest hospital sites; slightly bigger than University Hospital Limerick and comparable to large hospitals in Cork or Galway

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

44-acre site in Limerick confirmed as location of new hospital in Midwest 
44-acre site in Limerick confirmed as location of new hospital in Midwest 
The greenfield site is currently occupied by cows and there is not yet a timeline for when construction might begin

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Holding hands, patient and family by hospital bed for support, sick and empathy for wellness. People, care and console for perso
Fergus Finlay: I survived a health scare and learned something profound
After a few weeks in hospital, I've learned about love and support and working through, and how remarkable my family is

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

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