Numbers on A&E trolleys reach new high of 495

The Irish Nurses Organisation has reported a new record number of people waiting on trolleys in A&E units across the country today.

The organisation said 495 were waiting for admission to hospital beds this morning.

This is 40 more than the previous record high of 455 reported by the INO yesterday.

The Health Service Executive has disputed the accuracy of the INO's figures and has claimed that the high numbers waiting on trolleys is a "temporary spike" caused by the winter vomiting bug.

However, INO general secretary Liam Doran said this was untrue and misleading.

"There is no doubt the winter vomiting bug is not helping," he said, "but there are other factors at work.

"Some of the larger hospitals in Dublin are reporting that they have up to 80 people who are fit for discharge, but there is no continuing care bed available for them. The winter vomiting bug has nothing to do with that."