Emergency department overcrowding will take 5 years to resolve, says Leo Varadkar

As talks continue to avert a nurses strike, embattled Health Minister Leo Varadkar has admitted the headache of emergency department overcrowding will take another five years to resolve.

On RTÉ radio, Mr Varadkar said it would take a five-year programme of investment “in primary care, social care, and hospitals” to end the crisis of patients on trolleys, a figure that stood at 427 yesterday, down from 558 at the wee kend.

Sinn Féin urged Mr Varadkar to step down if he felt he was not up to the job.