McManus criticises A&E crisis response

THE Government’s much vaunted plan to alleviate the A&E crisis was a complete shambles, Labour health spokeswoman Liz McManus said yesterday.

The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) is demanding an emergency response to the crisis after it reported there were 422 people on trolleys in hospitals across the country on Tuesday and 406 yesterday.

“Exactly a year after the Government promised to alleviate the crisis by April 2005 - a commitment that was subsequently put back to the autumn - the situation in A&E units across the country is chaotic,” said Ms McManus.