Soldiers’ representatives tonight called for military trucks to be taken off the roads for safety reasons after 28 soldiers were injured in a motorway pile-up.

Twenty-two soldiers have been taken to five hospitals in Dublin following the multi-vehicle accident on the M50 this morning, according to the Defence Forces.

The Health Service Executive has reportedly decided that St Bricin’s military hospital in Dublin would not be suitable for public patients without costly alterations.

THE Mater Hospital in Dublin says it is “extremely interested” in a plan to use empty beds in a nearby military hospital to alleviate overcrowding in its accident and emergency department.