Hospital beds to re-open in Dublin

Hospitals in the greater Dublin area are being told this evening that they can re-open closed beds and employ staff to manage them.

It follows a meeting between nursing representatives and the ERHA where it was agreed to re-open almost 200 beds with immediate effect.

The Mater Hospital, Beaumont and the James Connolly Memorial Hospital will benefit directly from the decision.

General Secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation, Liam Doran, has said the beds should not have closed in the first place.

Mr Doran has said, if manager properly the opening of 196 beds in Dublin should assist in minimising and reducing the level of over crowding.

"We had over 207 patients on trolleys in Dublin over the last 48 to 72 hours. The opening of these beds must reduce this level," he said.